Storage system for rods

Abstract: This invention relates to a storage system for rods which system includes a conveyor device (13) and a crane system (51). The conveyor device (13) is for feeding a working machines such as a cutting-off machine, and in particular for supplying and discharging rods (4,12) to and from at least one roller path (14) for feeding the rods (4,12) into the working machines. The conveyor device (13) includes receiver means (21,22) arranges at both sides of the roller path (14) for conveying rods (4,12) between a handling device (6) of a stock of rods (4,12) and the roller path (14), each of the receiver means (21,22) comprising at least one receiver arm (25,28) which is independently movable substantially vertically. The crane system (51) includes a load crossbeam means (56) movable in the vertical direction for transporting a bar material (55), and load take-up means (57,58) provided on the load crossbeam means (56). The load crossbeam means (56) is subdivided into the subcrossbeam means (56a,56b) which are movable individually.

Description: The present invention relates to a conveyor device for feeding rods into a working machine such as a cutting-off machine, and, in particular, for supplying and discharging rods to and from at least one roller path for feeding the rods into the working machine, the conveyor device comprising receiver means arranged at both sides of said roller path for conveying said rods between a handling device of a stock of rods and said roller path wherein each of said receiver means comprises at least one receiver arm which is moveable independently of the other one in the vertical direction. DE-C-31 33 108 discloses a device for storing rod-shaped material and for supplying a cutting-off machine with this material. In this case the profiled rod material is deposited in a cantilever-type shelf system which consists of a plurality of shelves and which is handled via a gantry crane comprising a crane bridge movable over the shelves and a load crossbeam which is adapted to be vertically lowered between the shelves. A vertical carriage having roller paths arranged vertically one on top of the other is arranged on a shelf support in an area without shelves. A working position of the vertical carriage and thus the position of a roller path corresponds to the feed position for the rods to the cutting-off machine. While the material which is positioned on the roller path located at delivery level is being supplied to or worked by the cutting-off machine, the crane system deposits the rods to be worked in the next operation on the free roller path or takes the remaining material from the path to return it to the shelf system. Such a solution, however, requires two drivable roller paths. Another roller path assigned to the machine system as well as corresponding separate drives must normally be provided here. Moreover, the device effects a relatively fixed relationship between the position of the cutting-off machine and the assembly of the shelves of the material store. DE-A-38 17 745 discloses a device for feeding a working machine with rod-shaped material. In this publication the material is deposited by a vertical and horizontal endless conveyor with synchronously rotating conveyor means on a roller bed and is received and transported away by the roller bed and returned again to the crane system which cooperates with a material-storage shelf system. With such a device, however, conveyor means which are respectively arranged vertically and horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the roller path in successive order must be arranged between the rollers of the roller bed and must additionally be matched in their position to the fork prongs of the crane bridge and the support arms of the shelf-type store. This might have an influence on the minimum length of the length of the rods that can be transported without problems. Both the device according to DE-C-31 33 108 and the apparatus according to DE-A-38 17 745 have the great disadvantage that the respective roller path can only be supplied with material at one side by the conveyor device forming a quick-change station. In the case of a two-sided cantilever-type store, such a design calls for a respective rearrangement of the rods, so that the rods can be picked up by the fork prongs of the crane bridge or the load crossbeam of the gantry crane which face the conveyor device or quick-change station. DE-C-29 25 469 discloses a device for storing rod-shaped material and for automatically supplying a cutting-off machine with the material in program-controlled fashion, with a roller path being movable via a vertical carriage on a shelf support of the cantilever-type shelf system. A load crossbeam of the gantry crane which serves to operate the cantilever-type shelf system is provided for keeping ready successive material for the next operation above the vertical carriage which is in its working position and for lowering the material into the working position of the roller path when (after the end of the current working step) the vertical carriage is lowered together with the roller path to deposit the remaining material on a working carriage which is horizontally movable between two shelves. After having been returned into its operating position by the vertical carriage along the shelf support, the roller bed takes over the material held ready by the load crossbeam of the crane system which has been lowered into the operating position so as to continue the material supply to the cutting-off machine. The load crossbeam of the gantry crane is moved laterally and lowered to pick up the remaining material from the working carriage. With such a solution, which is also troublesome from a constructional point of view, the lost times (material changing times) can, however, not be kept so small as would be desirable because the use of the load crossbeam of the crane system as an intermediate store considerably limits the flexibility of the whole material transporting process. A conveyor device of the above-mentioned kind is known from DE-C-37 36 122. The lifting device is also arranged within a cantilever-type store between two shelf units and within an area which is free from cantilevers. The lifting device serves to transfer rods from a shelf to a roller path, and vice versa, in order to supply the rods, for instance, to a cutting-off machine. In this case, there are guides which extend at both sides next to the roller path obliquely upwards away from the path and along which carriages are movable that carry horizontally matching trays for the rods. Thus, the shelves can be moved between a lower end position in which the upper edges of the trays are below the support plane of the roller path, and an upper end position in which this upper edge is located above the support plane and laterally offset relative to the roller path. Such a solution which is based on the principle of an inclined lift calls, however, for a relatively expensive support and drive construction for the carriages which are movable along the inclined guides. Moreover, the two trays at both sides of the roller path can first only be unloaded in an alternate way by the shelf handling device, such as the load crossbeam of a gantry crane system, and can then only be fed again with material, resulting in waiting times. After an upward movement of a tray with the remaining material into an upper transfer position to the gripper prongs of the load crossbeam of the gantry crane, the material must first be picked up by the load crossbeam and transported away before the next rods can be deposited on this tray. During this time the other tray which deposited rods were deposited on the roller path in the preceding cycle, remains below the roller bed of this roller path. Furthermore, a relatively great corridor width is required between the shelves for the accommodation of the apparatus because of the upwardly diverging position of the inclined guides, with the respective transfer position of the tray being at a considerable laterally distance from the roller path with respect to the shelf handling device. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor device in which the operative connection with the handling device of the rod store is improved. That is to say, the reception of the rods by the conveyor device from the handling device of the rod store and the transfer to this handling device can be facilitated. In accordance with the inventive conveyor device as indicated above, this object is attained that at least one receiver arm is able to carry out a substantially horizontal movement which is independent of a substantially vertical movement of same. The conveyor device of this invention has an advantage that the cooperation of the conveyor device with the roller path can be simplified, with lost times being avoided. Moreover, the space needed for the conveyor device should be relatively small. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiver arms of the two receiver means respectively project at one side towards the roller path and include supporting members spaced-apart in the longitudinal direction of the roller path. Further, the receiver arms are each secured to a longitudinal transverse member which is supported on a vertical guide means, preferably a vertical carriage of the respective receiver means. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, one obtains a control which is especially advantageous as to the control of the receiver means and the handling device for handling the stock of rods, in the case of which the space needed is reduced. That is to say, in this embodiment a take-over/delivery position which is shared by the two receiver devices is provided above the roller path and rods are deposited on the roller path by lowering the respective receiver arm through the horizontal roller bed of the roller path. The receiver means which are arranged at both sides of the roller path are preferably mounted on a common, carriage-like basic frame which is movable under the roller path and in a direction transverse to the roller path. With this arrangement, the vertical movement of each receiver arm is effected by the separate vertical guide means of each receiver means while the horizontal movement of each receiver arm is effected by the joint horizontal displacement of both receiver means. Apart from the advantages of a construction which is simplified with regard to the necessary control operations, this solution of the invention has additional advantages that it offers a relatively simple rigid construction and effects a drastic reduction of standstill or waiting times. This is because the receiver arms of the two receiver devices operate alternately and independently of each other in such a way that a horizontal movement of one of the receiver arms into the take-over/delivery position above the roller path or a waiting position which is laterally offset relative to the roller path above the path is possible even when the rods are positioned on the roller path. The receiver arm of the one receiver means is normally kept ready below the horizontal roller bed for transporting the remaining material away from the roller bed whereas the receiver arm of the receiver device positioned at the other side of the roller path is disposed in the take-over/delivery position relative to the handling device of the stock of rods (shelf-operating device). In another preferred embodiment of the conveyor device, each receiver means may include a plurality of vertically superimposed receiver arms which are supported on a common, vertically movable transverse member and/or at least one of the receive arms may have discrete storing sections for storing a plurality of rods of the stock of rods next to each other. In this embodiment, the one or the plurality of receive arms of each receiver means may simultaneously serve as an intermediate storage means for the rods. Further preferred developments of the subject matter of the invention are set forth in the remaining subclaims. The invention shall now be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows part of a cantilever-type store for rods with a conveyor device arranged therewith in accordance with the first feature of the present invention in a front diagrammatic representation. FIG. 2 is a front representation of the the conveyor device in the area of two shelves of the cantilever-type store, similar to that shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic front view of the conveyor device in a position changed with respect to the representations in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 4A - 4T show a flow chart of a material changing cycle for illustrating the operation of the conveyor device according to the first feature of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5A - 5P show a flow chart of still another material changing cycle by means of the conveyor device illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 6 shows a representation similar to that in FIG. 3, for another embodiment of the conveyor device according to the first feature of the present invention. FIG. 7A - 7I show a flow chart of a material changing operation for a conveyor device according to FIG. 6. FIG. 8 shows a receiver arm according to another embodiment of the conveyor device where the receiver arm is used as an intermediate storage means with at least two rods being discretely arranged next to each other. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a cantilever-type store 1 in the area of three shelf units 2 which extend in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, and are equipped with shelf supports 2a and cantilevers 2b which are secured to both sides of the supports 2a. The cantilevers 2b form material compartments 3 for receiving rod material 4 of the same or different profile sorted according to the type of material, profile cross-sections, and the like. A corridor 5 is formed between adjacent shelf units 2, for the transport of the rod materials 4. The operation of the cantilever-type store 1, i.e., the withdrawal of rods 4 and the reinsertion of the same into the compartments 3, is effected by a gantry crane system 6, which is outlined diagrammatically in FIG. 1. This gantry crane system 6 is movable along rails 8 provided on the longitudinal outer sides of the cantilever-type store 1 and extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the adjacent shelves 2. A crane bridge 9 of the gantry crane system 6 carries a load crossbeam 10 which is provided with a load receiving means 11 extending at both sides of the crossbeam 10 in the form of fork prongs. The crossbeam 10 is adapted to vertically lowered from the crane bridge 9, so that the crossbeam 10 together with the load receiving means 11 can be moved into a corridors 5 between shelves 2 and into a compartment 3 for withdrawing or delivering rods 4. At the same time, the load crossbeam 10 serve to deliver a picked-up rod 12 of the stock of rods to a conveyor device 13 which is described hereinafter. As shown at the right side in FIG. 1, the conveyor device 13 is arranged within a tunnel between the shelf units 2 and free from cantilevers 2b. The conveyor device 13 extends in parallel with the longitudinal extension of the shelf units 2, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawings in FIG. 1. The conveyor device 13 is provided for depositing rods 4 onto a roller path 14 which also extends in parallel with the longitudinal extension of the shelf units 2 and in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1. The roller path 14 feeds a rod 12 to a working machine (not shown), in particular to a saw for the rod materials into sections. The conveyor device 13 removes a remaining material from the roller path 14 after cutting operation, and to deliver the material to the load crossbeam 10 of the gantry crane system 6 for re-sorting it in a material compartment 3 of the associated shelf unit 2. In FIG. 1 (left half) the cantilevers 2b have been omitted between the central and left shelf units 2 for illustrating the gantry crane system 6 clearly. A first embodiment of the conveyor device shall be in detail explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 in which the conveyor device 13 is shown diagrammatically from the front. As best shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment the roller path 14 has a substantially horizontal roller bed 15 and a vertical roller bed 16. The roller bed 15 includes a plurality of conveyor rollers 17 that are spaced apart from each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIGS. 1-3 (only one of the rollers 17 is shown in FIGS. 1-3). Likewise, the roller bed 16 consist of a plurality of conveyor rollers 18. Further, the conveyor rollers 17 are slightly inclined toward the vertical roller bed 16, and the conveyor rollers 18 are slightly inclined outwards relative to the vertical. Thus, a rod 12 deposited on the roller path can be conveyed in the longitudinal direction of the roller path 14, reliably in abutment with and laterally guided by the vertical roller bed 16. The roller path 14 includes a frame 19 which is open below the support of the conveyor rollers 17 and which forms lateral passage openings 20 at least partly in the lower portion. The roller path 14 is driven by a drive (not shown) which is shared by the two roller beds 15, 16. Thus, the roller path 14 conveys the rods 12 deposited on the roller bed 15, possibly through another roller path forming the extension of the roller path 14, to a device positioned outside the cantilever-type store 1, for example, a cutting-off saw or also a material removing station, and returns remaining pieces 12 back to the conveyor device 13. The vertical roller bed 16 ensures a corresponding lateral guide of the transported rods 12. A common drive may optionally be provided for the successive roller paths. As becomes especially apparent from the details shown in FIGS. 1-3, the conveyor device 13 includes receiver means 21, 22 at both sides of the roller path 14, namely a first receiver means 21 at the right side of the roller path 14 and a second receiver means 22 at the left side of the roller path 14. Each receiver means 21, 22 has a vertical guide means 23, 24 for vertically supporting a receiver arm 25 or 26, respectively, in a slidable way. The receiver arm 25, 26 serves to supply the rods 12 to the roller path 14 and to remove the rods from the path 14 to deliver the same to the load crossbeam 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Specifically, each receiver arm 25, 26 preferably includes a plurality of supporting members which are spaced apart from each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIGS. 1-3 (only one of the supporting members is shown in FIGS. 1-3). As a result each receiver arm 25, 26 has a prong-like structure. The receiver arms 25, 26 respectively secured to the associated transverse member 27, 28 in such a way that they project laterally towards the roller path 14. The transverse members 27, 28 extend in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIGS. 1-3. Each transverse member 27, 28 is secured to an associated vertical carriage 29, 30 which, in turn, is vertically supported in a slidable way on a corresponding vertical guide support 31, 32 of the vertical guide means 23, 24. A plurality of guide supports 31, 32 including associated vertical carriages 29, 30 respectively are provided in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor device 13 (i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) in parallel with the shelf units 2. Each of the receiver arms 25, 26 possesses a receiver trough 33 which is defined by vertical projections 34 of different height and serves to store the rods 12', as is drawn for the second receiver means 22 in FIG. 3 in dash-dotted line and in FIG. 1 in full lines for a rod 12. The vertical projections 34 which are respectively arranged in the figures at the left side of the associated receiver arm 25, 26 serve the abutment of the rods supported by a corresponding inclination of the receiver trough 33. The vertical projections 34 at the right side, which is smaller as to height, just serves to secure the position of the rods 4 and could possibly be dispensed with entirely. The vertical projection 34 at the left abutment side has preferably a height which substantially corresponds to half the profile height or the radius of the rods 4, so that a correct position of the rods 4 is ensured when these are lowered onto the roller path 14. For the same reason, the vertical roller bed 16 also has a height that is greater than or equal to half the profile height (material height). The vertical projections 34 at the right side define the width of the receiver trough 33, which in turn, determines the maximally admissible material width of the trough 33. In FIG. 1 the upper end positions of the receiver arms 25, 26 shown in dash-dotted lines illustrate delivery positions 36 in which the receiver arms 25, 26 cooperate with the load crossbeam 10 of the gantry crane system 6. The dimensional and motional relationships, including the width of the receiver arms 25, 26, are understood from FIG. 1 in which another position of the receiver arm 26 is shown in full lines. That is to say, the arms 25, 26 are dimensioned such that an independent trouble-free vertical movement of the receiver arms 25, 26 is ensured, permitting also a lateral guiding of the receiver arms 25, 26. In particular, the arms 25, 26 pass each other in connection with the corresponding vertical movements of the vertical carriages 29, 30. To implement the horizontal movement of each receiver arm 25, 26 for feeding the roller path 14 with material 12 or for removing remaining material from this path 14 for delivery to the load crossbeam 10, the vertical guide supports 31, 32 are fixedly arranged in the illustrated embodiments on a carriage-like basic frame 35. The frame 35 extends in the bottom side of the frame 19 of the roller path 14 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the path 14 through the passage opening 20 and is displaceable with the aid of rollers 37 on rails 38 in a direction transverse to the roller path 14. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the basic frame 35 with the first and second receiver means 21, 22 in full lines is shown in a right end position in which the receiver arm 26 of the second receiver means 22 is in the delivery position 36. On the other hand, in FIG. 3 the "carriage" formed by the first and second receiver means 21, 22 and the basic frame 35 is in the left end position in which the receiver arm 25 of the first receiver means 21 is in a receiving position below the horizontal roller bed 15 for removing the rod 12 which is positioned as remaining material on the roller path 14. The joint rigid mounting of the first and second receiver means 21, 22 on the basic frame 35 permits a matched and program-controlled movement of the first and second receiver means 21, 22 and their associated receiver arms 25, 26 by means of a motor. That joint rigid mounting also ensure the receiver means having a fixed horizontal distance from each other. Hence, such a design prevents a collision of the receiver arms 25, 26 in a reliable way. However, in another embodiment of the conveyor device 13 it is also possible to arrange the first and second receiver means 21, 22 in such a way as to allow their horizontal adjusting movements in an entirely separated way. In this case, it is ensured through a corresponding program control that the first and second receiver means are each positioned with their projecting receiver arms in horizontally spaced-apart relationship, and the receiver arms 25, 26 can be moved vertically without any collision. To deposit the rods 4 onto the roller path 14 after delivery from the load crossbeam 10 and to receive a remaining piece from the roller path 14 for transfer to the load crossbeam 10, adjacent conveyor rollers 17, 18 of the horizontal and vertical roller beds 15, 16 have a longitudinal distance matched to the longitudinal distance of the supporting members of the receiver arms 25, 26, and each conveyor roller 17 or 18 is positioned between the corresponding adjacent supporting members of the receiver arm 25 or 26 in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor path 14. As a result, a free vertical movement of the receiver arms 25, 26 is possible from above to the bottom through the horizontal and vertical roller beds 15, 16 for depositing a rod onto the roller bed 15, and from the bottom to the top for returning remaining material in a corresponding way. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the distance between the guide supports 31, 32 on the basic frame 35 is chosen as follows: In the respective left end position (FIG. 3) or the respective right end position (FIGS. 1 and 2), the guide support 31 or 32 which is arranged near the adjacent shelf support 2a and has a maximum distance from the roller path 14, is spaced apart from the roller path 14 to such an extent that the supporting members of the receiver arms 25 or 26 are freely displaceable vertically past the roller path 14; and at the same time, the receiver arm 25 or 26 of the other guide support 32 or 31 which is arranged adjacent to the roller path 14 may be positioned in an opening below the horizontal roller bed 15 or in the transfer position above the roller path 14, as shown for the receiver arm 25 of the first receiver means 21 in FIG. 3 (the arm 25 is positioned below th roller bed 15 in FIG. 3). When the entire conveyor device 13 has been moved horizontally with the basic frame 35 and the first and second receiver means 21, 22 into the other end position, the receiver arm 25 or 26 of the respectively other receiver means 21 or 22 can be moved or positioned accordingly. The first operating mode of the conveyor device 13 shall now be explained with reference to FIG. 4A-4T. As far as designated positions of the respective receiver arms 25, 26 are concerned, reference is also made to the already explained FIGS. 1-3. FIGS. 4A-4T schematically illustrate the horizontal and vertical roller beds 15, 16 of the roller path 14 and the receiver arms 25 and 26 of the first and second receiver means 21, 22. In FIG. 4A the working cycle begins in a position of the conveyor device 13 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. That is to say, the conveyor device 13 is in the right end position and the receiver arm 26 of the second receiver means 22 is in the take-over/delivery position 36 above the roller path 14. In the take-over/delivery position the rod 12 is supplied to the receiver troughs 33 of the receiver arm 26 by the load crossbeam 10 of the gantry crane system 6 (not shown in FIGS. 4A-4T). The receiver arm 25 of the first receiver means 21 is in a position laterally next to the horizontal roller bed 15. As shown in FIG. 4B, the left receiver arm 26 is then lowered for depositing the rods 12 on the roller path 14. Namely, the supporting members of the receiver arm 26 pass through the longitudinal spaces between the conveyor rollers 17, 18 of the horizontal and vertical roller beds 15, 16 until the receiver arm 26 of the second receiver means 22 is positioned in the opening below the horizontal roller bed 15, whereby the rod 12 is deposited on the roller path 14. During this downward movement of the receiver arm 26, the right receiver arm 25 is moved upwards into its take-over/delivery position 36, where another rod 12' is deposited onto the receiver arm 25 by the load crossbeam 10. As shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, to keep the time during which no rods 4 rest on the roller path 14 as little as possible, after the reception of the rod 12' the right receiver arm 25 may be lowered into an intermediate position which is laterally above the horizontal roller bed 15. During the lowering movement of the receiver arm 25 the rod 12 is still positioned on the roller path 14 or the rod 12 is lifted away as a remaining material from the roller path 14 by the left receiver arm 26 which passes between the conveyor rollers 15 and 16 (FIG. 4D). After the left receiver arm 26 has reached its upper end position and the right receiver arm 25 has simultaneously occupied the intermediate position laterally above the horizontal roller bed 15, the whole conveyor means 13 is horizontally displaced with the aid of the displaceable basic frame 35 to the left into the other end position (FIG. 4E). In FIG. 4E, the receiver arms 25, 26 occupy the positions in which the left receiver arm 26 is in its take-over/delivery position 36 and the right receiver arm 25 is positioned above the horizontal roller bed 15 for being lowered through the roller path 14 and for depositing the rod 12' onto the roller path 14. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4F, the right receiver arm 25 is lowered to the lower end position below the roller bed 15 for depositing the rod 12' onto the roller bed 15. On the other hand, the rod 12 on the left receiver arm 26 is taken by the load crossbeam 10 of the gantry crane system 6 to be returned into an associated compartment 3 of a shelf unit 2. Then, a rod 12'' which is needed for the next supply operation is supplied to the left receiver arm 26 by the crossbeam 10. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4G, the left receiver arm 26 may also be lowered into an intermediate position laterally above the vertical roller bed 16 while the rod 12' is removed from the roller path 14 upwards by the right receiver arm 25. After the right receiver arm 25 is reached the upper end position, the whole conveyor device 13 is again moved horizontally along the rails 38 to the right, as shown in FIG. 4H. This has the consequence that the right receiver arm 25 is now again in its take-over/delivery position for delivering the rod 12' to the load crossbeam 10 for returning the same into one of the compartments 3 and for receiving a new rod 12''' (FIG. 4I). In FIG. 4I, the left receiver arm 26 is then brought into its lower end position below the horizontal roller bed 15 with the rod 12'' being deposited on the roller path 14. The moving cycle of the first and second receiver means 21 and 22 start now again. As becomes apparent from the above explanations, there are hardly any unproductive times when the roller path 14 is supplied with no rods, thanks to the conveyor device 13. This is the result of the parallel operations of the two receiver arms 25 and 26 which operations coincide in time, so that the standstill time during which no material is positioned on the roller path can be minimized. As shown in FIG. 4J, in the second operation mode of the conveyor device, the separate take-over/delivery positions for the two receiver arms 25, 26 are dispensed with so as to save space in the respective upper end positions of the receiver arms 25, 26. That is to say, a single and central take-over/delivery position 36 is established directly above the roller path 14 by moving the conveyor device 13 horizontally into the opposite end position after the respective rods have been deposited onto the roller path 14. This additional horizontal movement of the conveyor device 13 makes it possible to provide, independently of the receiver arm 25, 26 positioned for a take-over/delivery operation, the delivery position 36 always in the same position for taking rods 12''' from the load crossbeam 10 or for delivering rods 12' to the load crossbeam 10. The central take-over/delivery position is shown by dash-dotted line above the roller path 14 in FIG. 3. As far as the movement cycle of the receiver arms 25, 26 is concerned, FIGS. 4K-4N correspond to FIGS. 4B-4F and illustrate the beginning of another conveying cycle. FIGS. 4O-4T illustrate a conveying cycle with the central delivery position 36 which is the same for both receiver arms 25, 26, as already mentioned with reference to FIG. 4J. In FIG. 4O, the rod 12 has been deposited onto the left receiver arm 26 which is in the delivery position 36 by the load crossbeam 10 (not shown). The rod 12' which was supplied in a preceding conveying cycle to the roller path 14 rests on the roller path 14. Subsequently, the whole conveyor device is horizontally moved by the movable basic frame 35 into the left end position, so that the right receiver arm 25 is positioned below the horizontal roller bed 15, as shown in FIG. 4P. As shown in FIG. 4Q, the right receiver arm 25 is then moved upward to lift the rod 12' away from the roller bed 15 while the left receiver arm 26 is lowered into the intermediate position. After the right receiver arm 25 reached the delivery position 36, the conveyor device 13 is moved horizontally so that the left receiver arm 26 reaches a position in which it is vertically aligned with the roller bed 15, as shown in FIG. 4R. Subsequently, the rod 12 is deposited on the roller path 14 and the left receiver arm 26 is brought into the lower end position (FIG. 4S). The conveyor device is then moved horizontally to the left end position (FIG. 4T), where the right receiver arm with the rod 12' is again in the central take-over/delivery position 36 for delivering the rod 12' to the load crossbeam 10 and for receiving a new rod therefrom. FIG. 5A-5P illustrate still another conveying cycle with the central delivery position 36. In FIG. 5A, a first rod W1 is supplied by the crossbeam 10 to the right receiver arm 25 in the central position 36. As shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the rod W1 is then deposited on the roller bed 15 by lowering the right receiver arm 25, while the left receiver arm 26 is moved upward and then to the right until it reaches the central delivery position 36. In FIG. 5D, a second rod W2 is supplied by the crossbeam 10 to the left receiver arm 26 in the central delivery position 36. Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 5E-5H, after the first rod W1 is taken from the roller bed 15 by moving the right receiver arm 25 upward, the second rod W2 is deposited onto the roller bed 15by lowering the left receiver arm 26. The receiver arms 25 and 26 are then moved respectively in such a way as to go around the roller bed 15 in the clockwise direction until the left receiver arm 26 reaches the central delivery position 36 and the right receiver arm 25 reaches the intermediate position (FIG. 5I-5L). In FIG. 5M, a third rod W3 is supplied to the left receiver arm 26 in the central delivery position 36. As shown in FIG. 5O, the receiver arms 25, 26 are then moved to the left until the right receiver arm 25 with the first rod W1 reaches the central delivery position 36. In FIG. 5P, the first rod W1 is then taken from the right receiver arm 25 as a remaining material by the crossbeam 10 (not shown). Another embodiment of the conveyor device 13 is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 6. The construction of the conveyor device 13 according to this embodiment differs from the embodiment explained with reference to FIGS. 1-3 in that each receiver means 21, 22 is respectively provided with two vertically superposed receiver arms 25 and 26. These receiver arms are jointly movable and their vertical distance depends on the greatest diameter or profile cross-section of the rods 4 to be transported. In this embodiment, each receiver arm 25 or 26 is not only used as a conveyor device between the load crossbeam 10 and the roller path 14, but simultaneously serves as an intermediate storage between the shelves 2 and the roller path 14. With such a solution, delivery to the shelf handling device (gantry crane system 6) is not required during each material change, so that the usefulness of the roller path 14 and thus the speed of the cutting process for unmachined parts can be further increased. In response to the dimensions of the receiver arms 25, 26, the roller path 14 must have a correspondingly greater height so that the receiver arms 25, 26 pass under the horizontal roller bed 15. FIGS. 7A-7I shows an example of a material changing cycle for the conveyor device 13 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6. In this case the two receiver arms 25 of the first receiver means 21 that are connected to form a unit exclusively serve the purpose of transporting remaining material away from the roller path 14 to the load crossbeam 10 (not shown in FIGS. 7A-7I), while the interconnected receiver arms 26 of the second receiver means 22 are provided for receiving rods 4 from the load crossbeam 10 and for supplying rods 4 to the roller path 14 and for depositing the same on the roller path 14. In FIG. 7A the receiver arms 26 are in their delivery position 36, respectively supporting first and second rods 12, 12' which were previously supplied by the load carrier 10 (not shown). At this time, the receiver arms 25 of the first receiver means 21 are positioned in their lower end positions and the whole conveyor device 13 is in its right end position corresponding to the position in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 7B, the rod 12 which rests on the lower receiver arm 26 is first deposited on the roller path 14 by vertically lowering the receiver arms 26. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7C, the whole conveyor device 13 is moved into its other horizontal end position, so that the upper one of the receiver arms 25 below the horizontal roller bed 15 is arranged for transporting the rod 12 as remaining material away from the roller path 14. After the end of the operation for using the rod 12 and after the rod 12 has been lifted and received from the roller path 14 by the receiver arm 25, the arm 25 are moved vertically upwards either into an upper end position or into a position as shown in FIG. 7D in which the lower one of the receiver arms 25 remains below the horizontal roller bed 15. At the same time, receiver arms 26 of the second receiver means 22 are vertically lowered with the remaining rod 12' into the intermediate position laterally above the roller bed 16. Subsequently, the whole conveyor device 13 is horizontally moved into its other right end position, as shown in FIG. 7E. The receiver arms 26 of the second receiver means 22 are then vertically lowered from this position further into their lower end position, so that the rod 12' positioned on the upper one of the receiver arms 26 is deposited onto the roller path 14 (FIG. 7F). Here, the receiver arms 25 of the first receiver means 21 remain in their positions such that the lower one of the receiver arms 25 is arranged in a position laterally below the horizontal roller bed 15. The whole conveyor device 13 is then moved again horizontally into its other left end position, so that the lower one of the receiver arms 25 passes under the horizontal rollers 15 (FIG. 7G). As shown in FIG. 7H, the receiver arms 26 of the second receiver device 22 is then moved upward into their upper end position forming the take-over position 36. At the same time, a vertical upwards movement of the receiver arms 25 is effected for discharging the rod 12 from the roller path 14. After that, the whole conveyor device 13 is again moved horizontally into its right end position, so that the two receiver arms 26 that received new rods 12'', 12''' move into a position vertically aligned with the roller path 14, as shown in FIG. 7I. Then, the receiver arms 25 with the remaining material of the rods 12 and 12' is moved upward into an upper delivery position for delivering the rods 12, 12' to the load crossbeam 10 (not shown). The configuration of the conveyor device 13 in accordance with the second embodiment (FIG.6) effects a greater independence of the conveyor device 13 with respect to the gantry crane system 6 and thus increased flexibility when the rods are supplied. FIG. 8 is just a diagram of a receiver arm 25, 26 of one of the receiver means 21, 22. In comparison with the above-illustrated embodiments, this arm has a receiver trough of a greater width and is designed with a profile in such a way that in the direction of the width of the receiver arm discrete storing sections 39, which are for example formed by inclined planes, are provided for receiving at least two rods 12, 12' next to each other. In this way the conveyor device can be simultaneously used as an intermediate storage means. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 with at least two superposed receiver arms of each receiver means, the receiver arms may also optionally be provided with the storing sections 39 for receiving rods next to one another. The first feature of the invention accomplishes a relatively robust conveyor device of simple construction which permits the supply and removal of rods to and from the roller path in conjunction with a shelf operating device while rods are simultaneously treated on the roller path, with idle and lost times being avoided during the removal of rods from a shelf store for delivery of the rods to a roller path. All functions regarding the removal of rods from the shelves, the delivery to the conveyor device and the deposition on the roller path as well as the return of the remaining material back into the shelves can be carried out in the conventional way automatically and in program-controlled fashion in response to a specific manufacturing task. To ensure an independent movement of the receiver arms of each receiver device vertically and horizontally, it is of course possible to combine the horizontal and vertical adjustment movements of the receiver arms 25, 26 of each receiver means 21, 22 in a corresponding compound carriage. For instance, the guide supports 31, 32 may be made stationary and the transverse member 27, 28 may have a corresponding horizontally movable carriage guide on which the receiver arms 25, 26 are supported.

Claims: A conveyor device for feeding rods (12) into a working machine such as a cutting-off machine, and in particular for supplying and discharging rods (12) to and from at least one roller path (14) for feeding the rods (12) into the working machine, the conveyor device (13) comprising receiver means (21,22) arranged at both sides of said roller path (14) for conveying said rods (12) between a handling device of a stock of rods and said roller path (14) wherein each of said receiver means (21,22) comprises at least one receiver arm (25,26) which is movable independently of the other one in the vertical direction characterised in that at least one receiver arm (25,26) is able to carry out a substantially horizontal movement which is independent of said substantially vertical movement of same. A conveyor device according to claim 1, characterized in that each receiver means (21, 22) comprises a vertical guide means (23, 24) for said receiver arms (25, 26). A conveyor device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said receiver arm (25, 26) is substantially in parallel with the running direction of said roller path (14) and is formed of a plurality of spaced-apart supporting members, and said receiver arm (25, 26) is secured to a transverse member (27, 28) which is supported in a vertically displaceable way by said vertical guide means (33, 34), in such a way that the arm (25, 26) projects substantially laterally toward said roller path (14). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a basic frame (35) of said receiver means (21, 22) which accommodates said vertical guide means (23, 24) is horizontally displaceable, in particular movable within a floor rail assembly (37, 38). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said roller path (14) has at least one roller bed (15) which extends substantially in horizontal direction and includes spaced-apart transport rollers (17), and said receiver arm (25, 26) of each receiver means (21, 22) is selectively movable into positions above or below said roller bed (15), with supporting members of said receiver arm (25, 26) being vertically passed between spaced-apart conveyor rollers (17) of said roller bed (15). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said roller path (14) has an inclined, substantially horizontal roller bed (15) and an inclined, substantially vertical roller bed (16) for longitudinally conveying rods (4) which are positioned on said roller path (14). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a take-over/delivery position (36) of said receiver arms (25, 26) of said two receiver means (21, 22) which is located above said roller path (14) is provided for taking rods (4) over and delivering rods (4) from and to said handling device (6, 10) of said stock of rods (4). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said receiver means (21, 22) which are arranged at both sides of said roller path (14) are disposed on a common basic frame (35) which is horizontally displaceable below said roller path (14) and in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of said path, in particular, movable within a floor rail assembly (37, 38). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said transverse member (27, 28) of said receiver means (21, 22) carry a plurality of vertically spaced-apart receiver arms (25, 26). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said supporting members of each receiver arm (25, 26) have a receiver trough (33) for depositing said rods (4). A conveyor device according to claim 10, characterized in that said receiver troughs (33) have an inclined bottom surface defined by substantially vertical edge projections (34) of different height. A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one of said receiver arms (25, 26) forms an intermediate storage device for said rods (4). A conveyor device according to claim 12, characterized in that said receiver trough (33) of said supporting members of at least one receiver arm (25, 26) have discrete storing sections (39) for storing a plurality of rods (12, 12') of said stock of rods (4) next to one another. A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, characterized by the arrangement of said conveyor device (13) within a cantilever-type store (1) with a gantry crane system (6) whose load crossbeam (10) is movable into said take-over/delivery position (36) of said receiver arms (25, 26) of said receiver means (21, 22) for transferring rods (4) from shelves (2) of said cantilever-type store (1) to said receiver means (21, 22) and for transferring rods (4) from said receiver means (21, 22) to said shelves (2). A conveyor device according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 14, characterized by a program control for automatically controlling said conveyor device (13), said roller path (14), said handling device (6), said stock of rods (4) and said working machine in a matched way in accordance with a work program. A conveyor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the receiver arms (25,26) are independently moveable substantially horizontally as well as vertically.

Inventors: LATTEN WERNER, WASHIO ISOMI, LATTEN, WERNER, WASHIO, ISOMI
Applicants: ADVANCED TECHNIK GMBH, AMADA CO LTD, AMADA COMPANY LIMITED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65G1
IPC codes: B65G1