A PRESSING-BENDING MACHINE WITH A DEVICE FOR DETECTING THE LOWER AND UPPER CROSS-MEMBERS DEFLECTION, AIMED AT INTERACTING WITH AT LEAST ONE CROWNING SYSTEM

Abstract: A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members deflection, aimed at interacting with at least one crowning system, essentially made up of means suitable for detecting the elastic deformation on the lower and/or upper cross-member (1, 4) vertical axis recorded during the plate pressing-bending active phase, said means, supplying the machine management logic unit with a higher or lower value respect to an upper cross-member reference value, from this depending the intervention of at least the crowning system, and also in which, said means, being active on both cross-members, comprise a part engaged to the action cross-member and a part, interconnected with the first one, integral with a fixed external cross-member independent from the action cross-member, comprising a means (8) for detecting and communicating the deflection relative to this latter with respect to the fixed external cross-member.

Description: DESCRIPTION A PRESSING-BENDING MACHINE WITH A DEVICE FOR DETECTING THE LOWER AND UPPER CROSS-MEMBERS DEFLECTION, AIMED AT INTERACTING WITH AT LEAST ONE CROWNING SYSTEM Technical Field The present invention has for object a pressing-banding machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members bending, aimed at interacting with at least one crowning system. The innovation, finds particular even if not exclusive application in the field of the plate straining machines. Background Art The pressing-bending machines, as known, are used in the metal and mechanical industry, and in particular in the sheet-plate working and manufacturing, for obtaining, for instance, some differently shaped longitudinal profiles, sometimes with the possibility of picking them up again and subjecting each of them to a new press-bending cycle. As a rule, a bending cycle essentially consists of the punch vertical descent up to touch the sheet-plate laid on the matrix, in carrying out the bending, and then at the end, in re-ascending up to an original position. For carrying out the previous phase, the machine is made up of two parts, respectively a first dynamical one, generally associated with the upper part, and a substantially static one regarding the matrix support, making up the machine lower part, placed vertically below the dynamical one. In carrying out a bending cycle, a punch tool is provided in the dynamical upper part, consisting of a differently shaped blade, also of the interchangeable type,, which performs solely a to-and-fro vertical movement, ensured by at least two oleo-dynamical cylinders, which determine the descent, the eventual stop, and the re-ascent of an upper cross-member which longitudinally supports said tool or punch The lower part comprises a corresponding lower cross-member which, substantially, has the purpose of supporting a matrix and eventual devices for measuring and controlling the bending angle By the structural viewpoint, it is interesting considering that some precision machines are put on the market and requested with also a dynamical lower cross-member, which allows to obtain a high quality product, contranly to the ones which, being static, generally offer a lower quality pi oduct The need to use machines which have a dynamical lowei cross-member, is always more considered by manufacturers, so that the costs for providing this function, even if an optional one, aie rather marginal respect to the machine total cost One of the reasons which bung the same Companies to follow this direction, is that the lower cross-member, when it i s dynamical, may help in correcting, as much as possible, those faults which cause a bending camber, found during the sheet-plate pressing-bending manufacture In fact, it is surely true that the sheet plate pressing-bending, is a rather delicate process, so much that obtaining results equal to determined working parameters is very difficult in this case, allowing some much wider tolerances than other metal working processes This occurs because of the concurrence of different factors, such as for instance, the non-constant thickness and the material quality, where also the influence of few centimetres has negative effects on the working, or, because of the material elastic leturn, but also very often because of the natural deformation, during the process, of the two cross-members, all factors which are presently corrected by means of some programs, supplied by the software houses, endowed with suitable data, deriving from previous tests and other manually operated systems In this logic, a negative aspect and more or less common to all the pre- existing solutions, concerns the deformation of the lower and upper cross- members of the bending machine The drawback, more in detail, consists in detecting transversally to the sheet-plate, a certain convexity or concavity of the pi oduct subjected to the bending cycle, a fact which should be ascribed also to the force uneven distribution on the uppei cross-membei cyhndei s As already noticed, some of these defects, may be piesently coi rected by means of suitable devices propei ly called ci owni ng oi bending correction devices, which have the purpose of making the lower cross-member dynamical and of influencing, eventually intei acting with these, the intensity and distribution of the working pi essure in the upper cross- membei push cyhndei s, with the purpose of coi recting the bending cambei caused by the bending strain on both cross-members, whose deformation is proportional to the bending strain Such systems though, even being suitable foi communicating with a total management logic control unit of the pi essing-bending machine, up to now do not seem optimised yet because of the concurrence of further and different factors which reduce their efficacy The problem lies in that such process corrections may not be repeated piece by piece, because of the changeable working conditions and the structure diffei ence of the used material , needing continuou s and speci al adjustments Such changeable working conditions comprise, the length of the piece to be bent, the thickness, the material maximum stress but mainly its position, in the pressing-machine length direction, in which the bending operation is carried out The hydraulic crowning systems up to now used, comprise as a rule, a series of jacks, which interact together, along an intermediate part of the lower cross-member group, and more in detail at the base of a portion of this latter, better known as action cross-member, respect to which, externally, the two reaction cross-members correspond One of the most frequent problems concerning such system, derives from that during the working cycle it does not keep into account the - real - defoi mation of the ci oss member, in this case the lowei one, being solely based on pre-set empirical parametei s managed by the logic unit And in fact presently, the variables indicated by the logic of crowning intervention, provided in the woi k base pi ogram consider onl> data sampled in phase of repeated tests, mainlv obtained in normal and most frequent working conditions It may be understood that, so fai as said parameters ai e articulated, they keep only into account of some situations which may occur during a normal working process, all conditions which in most of the cases, correspond to the central positioning of the plate to be pressed-bent, and not also, to its eventual positioning to the pi essing machine sides The limit, obviously derives from the objective difficulty of pre-setting some suitable parameters which keep into account the different variables which influence the cross-members deformation, during a woi king cycle, mainly if different from the usual working conditions Definitely, also another precision lack may be noticed in the pressing- bending machines, which is mostly ascπbable to the absence of real data, supplied simultaneously with the press-bending operations, which keep also into account the deformation, and in pai ticular, the bending or crowning of the cross-members This circumstance further concerns the quality, causing a considerable amount of scraps sometimes forcing to carry out a working cycle again with the purpose of correcting the error thus found A purpose of the present invention is also that of obviating the above mentioned drawbacks This and other purposes are reached with the present invention according to the characteristics as in the enclosed drawings, solving the mentioned problems by means of a device for detecting the lower and upper cross- members bending, aiming at interacting with at least one crowning system, particularly in a pressing-bending machine, essentially made up of means able to detect the elastic deformation on vertical axis of the lower or upper cross-member i ecorded during the plate pi essmg-bending actn e phase, said means, supplying to the machine management control logic unit, a higher or lower datum respect to a reference value of the upper cross- member from this depending the intervention of at least the crowning system, and also in which, said means, being active on both cross-members, comprise a part engaged to the action cross-member and a part, interconnected to the first one, integral with a fixed external cross-member independent from the action cross-member, comprising a means foi detecting and communicating the relative oscillation entity of this lattei respect to the fixed external cross-member Through the considerable creative conti ibution whose effect determines an immediate technical progress, different advantages are obtained further improving the existing pressing-bending machines First of all, it is possible detecting that the crowning system of a press- bending machine, or also the group of means provided for the bending camber correction, comprising a system able to influence the intensity and distribution of the working pressure of the upper cross-member push cylinders, may intervene decidedly more correctly than in the previous circumstances, solely keeping into account the cross-members bending real values. As a consequence, reaching extremely important quality and mainly absolutely precise results is possible, whatever is the charge position respect to the bending machine and independently on the material technical characteristic. The end user, thus, does not need to perform any adjustment, being allowed to fairly reduce the working times, with less dead times and scrap pieces, bringing considerable benefits by the economical viewpoint, and at the same time allowing the realisation of practically perfect bending action. Further, it may be noticed that the use of such device, allows a better working flexibility and a radical easing of the press-bending machine, mainly for what concerns the logic unit setting. These and other advantages will appear from the following detailed description of some embodiment preferred forms, with the help of the enclosed schematic drawings, whose realisation detai ls are not to be considered limitative but solely as examples. Figure 1., shows a perspective of a pressing-bending machine during a process active phase, which is provided with a device for the direct electronic control of the lower and upper bending cross-members, interacting with at least a crowning device. Figure 2., is a view, in a dynamical condition, always of a pressing-bending machine as in Figure 1 ., but provided with a variation to the electronic control device, in this case of the indirect type, of the lower and upper bending cross-members, interacting with at least a crowning device. Figure 3. and 4., are some detailed views, of the electronic control device of the bending cross-members, the control device being of the direct type, applied to the upper cross-member and illustrated in two conditions respectively in a stop and in an active phase. Figures 5. and 6., are some corresponding section views of the direct electronic control device as in Figures 3 and 4 , applied to the upper cross- member Figures 7 and 8 , are some detailed views, of the cross-members bending electronic control device, of the direct type, applied to the lower cross- member and illustrated in two conditions respectively in a stop and in an active phase Figures 9 and 10 , aie some corresponding section views of the direct electronic contiol device as in Figuies 7 and 8 again applied to the lower cross-member Figures 11 and 12 aie some detailed views of a vaπation to the cross- members bending electronic control device of the indirect type, applied to the upper cross-membei and illustrated in two conditions respectively in a stop and in an actne phase Figures 13 and 14 aie some coiresponding section views of the indirect electronic control de\ιce as in Figures 11 and 12, applied to the upper cross-member Figures 15 and 16, aie some detailed views, always of a cross-members bending electionic control device, of the indirect type, applied to the lower cross-member and illustrated in two conditions respectively in a stop and in an active phase Figures 17 and 18, are some coriesponding section of the indirect electronic control device as in Figures 15 and 16, applied to the lower cross-member Figure 19, is a variation to the control device applied to the upper and lower cross-membeis, of a pressing-bending machine, which uses cross- members bending detecting points Figures 20 and 21 , are some detailed views of the control device, as in the previous Figuie engaged to the upper cross-member and illustrated in two conditions respectively in a stop and in an charged phase. Finally, Figures 22., 23., and 24., are some views, always in detail of the control device, as in Figures 19, 20 and 21 engaged to the lower cross- member and illustrated in different conditions respectively in a stop, in an charged and in a lower cross-member bending correction condition. Description of some realisations. Also referring to the figures, it may be noticed that a pressing-bending machine (A), comprises an upper cross-member ( 1 ), vertically movable respect to the frame, on whose lower end a longitudinally associated tool of the interchangeable type, making up the punch (2) is provided. Always the machine (A), provides at the ends, a cylinder group (3-3 ' ) for each side. which determine the descent vertical movement and vice-versa of the upper cross-member ( 1 ) towards the underlying lower cross-member (4) which in its turn provides a matrix (5) also of the interchangeable type. For the cross-members bending correction, ascertained an eventual need of resorting to the plate (B) bending camber correction caused by the bending strain, a crowning or sensor or feeler device is provided, made operational on the lower cross-member (4), and essential ly made up of a series of hydraulic and on line jacks (6). Said jacks (6), contact the base of an action c ro s s - m embe r (4 ^ ), placed in the lower cross-member (4) in an intermediate position respect to the two reaction cross-members (4-). It is further possible, that said crowning system may be of the co-ordinated type in the activity with a device for adjusting the crowning pressure proportionally to the working pressure of the single cylinders (3,3 ' ) of the upper cross-member, being said device inter-placed along a circuit which puts these same in communication. With the purpose of further optimising both cross-members, respectively lower one (4) and upper one (1 ) bending correction, at least a device (C, C ) 1 is provided for each of them, aimed at measuring the bending of the same 2 ones, at the same time supplying to the machine management logic unit the 3 real deformation data, respect to whose calculation, a suitable intervention 4 of the crowning system by, means of the jacks (6), is allowed, and also a 5 device for adjusting the crowning pressure proportionally to the working 6 pressure of the single cylinders (3, 3 ' ) is eventually provided 7 Said device (C), in this case, is positioned almost centrally respect to the 8 pressing machine (A) length, and is essentially made up of two parts 9 More in detail in a first solution, and l elatively to the lower ci oss-member I 0 (4), a pin (7) is orthogonally engaged l espect to the action cross-membei I I (4 ' ), in order to project fi o a side and with a part of the same (7 ' ) beyond 1 2 the thickness of at least one reaction cross-member (4^) 1 3 The presence of a thu d cross-member (4^ ) with a lower thickness may be 1 4 intuitable, which is provided facing the extrados of the reaction cross- 1 5 member (4^ ), and independent respect to this latter being of the type fixed 1 6 to the machine (A) frame 1 7 Both the l eaction cross-member (4"- ) and the fi xed external cross-member 1 8 (4 ^ ) provide in logic correspondence an almost common removal of the 1 9 material concerning the whole thickness, foi example according to a slot- 0 like shape, so to allow to the underlying pin (7) pi ojecting part (7 ! ), a free 1 oscillation being integral to the action ci oss-member (4 ^ ) 2 On the end of the pm (7) projecting part (7 ' ), the end of a movable small rod 3 (S I ) is engaged, as lower part of a position transducer (8) Said position 4 transducer (8) is in its turn steadily engaged on the extrados of the fixed 5 external ci oss-member (43 , pei fectly in axis respect to the engagement on 6 the underlying action ci oss-member (4 ^ ). so that, at a slight displacement of 7 this latter on a vertical axis, corresponds an equal oscillation of the movable 8 small rod (% • ) which, interacting with the overhanging fixed point, allows to quantify the relative displacement For what concerns the machine (A) upper part, it is known that it is made up of a movable cross-member (1) aimed at supporting the tool (2), and on which, preferably on the same engagement side of the device (C) to the lower cross-member (4), a second device (C') is provided in axis with the underlying one (C), it also being centrally positioned respect to the pressing-bending machine (A) length Also in this case, an analogue pin (7) is present, orthogonally engaged tespect to the upper cross-member (1) and projecting (7^) always respect to a fixed cross-member, (l'), integral with the pressing-bending machine (A) frame, with teduced thickness and associated facing the extrados of the upper cross-member (1) For allowing a certain oscillation to the pin (7) being integral with the cross-member (1), an opening (9') made in logic correspondence and contacting the thickness of the fixed external cross-membei (11) is provided Thus on the pin (7) top which projects (7^), a movable small rod (8), similarly to the previous one, is engaged, which co-operates with a fixed part made up of the position transducer (8') engaged on the extemal surface of the fixed cross-member (ii) A variation to the detection mechanism (C, C'), may concern the method toi transmitting the cross-member vertical oscillations, both for the lower one (4) and for the upper one (1), to a coiresponding position transducer (8) Therefore, an indirect system is hypothised, which always comprises a position transducer (8), steadily engaged to the corresponding external cross-membei (l') or (4^), of a relative upper (1) and lower (4) cross- membei, fixed to the pressing-bending machine (A) frame In detail, respect to the previous solution, the transducer (8) position instead of being on the opening vertical (9, 9' ), is on the side of the same one, made on the fixed external cross-member (P) or (4^) In this case on the projecting pin (7') top, the movable small rod (8') which is part of the transducer (8) is not directly engaged, but the use of a transmission lever arm (10) is provided. Said lever arm, on a side (10^) engages the pin (7') top, on the other one (10*) stresses the movable small rod (8') end, determining the movement of the same on vertical axis. The lever (10) action, is allowed by providing an intermediate inging point (11), next to the opening (9, 9') which is obtained integral with the corresponding fixed external cross- member (1 ') and (4 3 ). Also another possible variation to the bending detection mechanism (C, C') for each cross-member, upper one (1) and lower one (4). may consist in providing on the extrados of each, two diagonally positioned tie-rods, respectively right one and left one (12). The first ends of said tie-rods (12), respectively, in case of the upper cross-member (1) engage in corresponding points (13) provided to the side and at the ends of the same, while in case of the lower cross-member (4) they engage in corresponding points provided along the pressing-bending machine (A) shoulders. For what concerns the second ends, they interact by a linear transmission with a position transducer (8) preferably associated on a structure depending on said two cross-members (1, 4). For what concerns the lower cross-member, even more in detail, the ends (12') of the tie-rods (12), are anchored to an elastically yielding rod (14') of an intermediate support (14) integral on the same structure position aimed at housing the position transducer (8). In this case, the lower end of the elastically yielding rod (14') stresses the movable small rod (8') end of the relative position transducer (8), perfectly in axis and integral with the corresponding action cross-member, upper (1) and lower one (4'), detecting the corresponding cross-member bending (1, 4'). With the first the pressing-bending machine (A) start, the relative position transducers (C, C') are calibrated so that to a stop condition, corresponds a reference value, at whose variation, because of a detected bending of the corresponding cross-member ( 1 , 4 ' ), corresponds the activation consent, after a communication with the machine (A) management logic unit, of the hydraulic crowning system through a pressure proportional valve.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting and controlling the bending of the lower and upper cross-members supporting the bending tools (1,4), punch (2) and matrix-die (5), aimed at interacting with at least one crowning system, characterised in that it comprises detecting and control means (C, C') suitable for detecting the elastic deformation along the vertical axis, of the lower cross-member (4) and or of the upper cross- member (1). recorded during active press-bending working phase of a plate or sheet (B), said detecting and control means (C, C'), being active on both cross-members (1) and (4). comprising a part engaged to the corresponding action cross-member (1, 4') and a part connected with a fixed external cross-member (l', 4^) independent from the action cross- member (1, 4'), which fixed external cross-member (l', 4^) provides a detecting means (8) for detecting and communicating the relative oscillation entity of the action cross-member (1, 4') respect to said fixed external cross-member ( 1 ' , 4-^ ) . 2. A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members bending, according to the previous claim, characterised in that it comprises: - a pin (7) orthogonally engaged respect to an action cross-member (1, 41), of a corresponding upper (1) and lower (4) cross-member; - a movable small rod (8'), as a lower part of a position transducer (8), engaged on the top (7') of said pin (7): - a position transducer (8) fixed to the press-bending machine (A) frame, and independent on the upper (1) and lower (4) cross--members. 3. A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members bending, according to claims 1. and 2., characterised in that: - on the extrados and facing the corresponding upper action cross-member (1) an external cross-member (l 1 ) is provided fixed to the pressing-bending machine (A) frame - on the extrados and facing the corresponding lower action cross-member (4') at least a reaction first cross-member (4^) is provided followed by an external cross-member (4^) independent on the previous ones and it also fixed to the pressing-bending machine (A) frame 4 A piessmg-bendmg machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-membeis bending, according to claims 1 and 3 , characterised in that the position tiansducer (8), steadil) engaged to the corresponding external cross-member (l') and (4 3 ), of a relative upper (1) and lower (4) cross-member, fixed to the pressing-bendmg machine frame (A), is stressed by the end (lθ') of a lever arm (10) hinged on a relative hinge (11) anchored to the corresponding fixed external cross-member (l') and (4 3 ), while the opposite end (10^) of the level arm (10) engages the pin (7') top 5 A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members bending, according to previous claims, characterised in that - on the extrados and facing the corresponding upper action cross-member (1) an external cross-member (l') is provided fixed to the pressing-bendmg machine frame (A), and provided with an opening (9') locally contacting orthogonal engagement area of the pin (7) to the cross-member (1), - on the extrados and facing the corresponding lower action cross-member (4') at least a reaction first cross-member (4^) is provided followed by an external cross-member (4^) also fixed to the pressing-bending machine frame (A), both provided with a common opening (9) locally contacting orthogonal engagement area of the pin (7) to the cross-member (4), 6 A pressing-bending machine with a device for detecting the lower and upper cross-members bending, according to claim 1 , characterised in that on the extrados of each cross-member, upper one ( 1 ) and lower one (4), two diagonally positioned divergent tie-rods, respectively right one and left one (12), the first ends of said tie-rods ( 12), respectively, in case of the upper cross-member ( 1 ) engaging in corresponding points ( 1 3) provided to the side and at the ends of the same, while in case of the lowei cross-member (4) they engage in coi responding points provided along the pressing-bending machine shoulders (A) and whei ein the second ends interact by a linear transmission with a position transducei (8 ) associated on a sti ucture depending on said two ci oss-members ( 1 , 4) 7 A piessmg bending machine with a device foi detecting the lowei and upper ci oss-membei s bending, according to claims 1 and 6 , characterised in that the ends ( 12 ' ) of the tie-rods ( 12), are anchored to an elastically yielding rod ( 14 ' ) of an intermediate support ( 14) integral on the same structure position aimed at housing the position transducer (8), said elastically yielding i od ( 14 1 ) stiessing the movable small l od (8 ' ) end of the relative transducer (8) 8 A pressing-bending machine, according to previous claims, characterised in that each position transducer (8), during the plate (B) bending phase supplies to its machine management logic unit, a higher or lower datum respect to a ieference value, referred to the upper cross-member, from this depending the intervention of at least one hydraulic crowning system through a pressure proportional valve 9 A pressing-bending machine, according to previous claims, characterised in that each cross-member, upper ( 1 ) and lower (4), comprises at least a relative position ti ansducer (8), centrally positioned respect to the length of the same

Inventors: GASPARINI LUCIANO, GASPARINI, LUCIANO
Applicants: GASPARINI LUCIANO, GASPARINI, LUCIANO
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B21D5
IPC codes: B21D5