Patent DE-102007026985-A1 (DE)
Title: Device for automatically coupling casting ladle arranged in holding device to robot arm of robot, comprises first coupling element connected and rotatable with drive, second coupling element connected with casting ladle, and locking element
Inventor: HARTIG WILLIBALD
IPC: B22D17/30
Filed: 2007-06-08
Abstract: The device (12) for automatically coupling a casting ladle (10) arranged in a holding device (8) to a robot arm (16) of a robot, comprises a first coupling element connected and rotatable with a drive (14), which is arranged at the robot arm, a second coupling element connected with the casting ladle, and a locking element locking the coupling elements in a positive or non-positive fit manner. The locking element is unlockable and lockable by an external operating mechanism by mechanical robot movement and/or electrical controller. The device (12) for automatically coupling a casting ladle (10) arranged in a holding device (8) to a robot arm (16) of a robot, comprises a first coupling element connected and rotatable with a drive (14), which is arranged at the robot arm, a second coupling element connected with the casting ladle, and a locking element locking the coupling elements in a positive or non-positive fit manner. The locking element is unlockable and lockable by an external operating mechanism by mechanical robot movement and/or electrical controller and is synchronously unlockable or lockable with the movement of the robot arm. The operating mechanism is externally arranged in the area of the holding device and is formed as pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electric drive. The device is formed as plug-in connector. The first coupling element is formed as a plug-in attachment in the form of a truncated cone and the second coupling element is formed as plug receptacle with a conical reception. The locking element is formed as a locking bolt relocatable in a channel radially extending itself in the plug-in attachment. The locking bolt is operatable over a rod assembly interacting with the operating mechanism. The rod assembly coaxially extends itself by a drive shaft of the drive and is movable in back and forth manner and in spring pre-stressed manner. A contour piece interacting with the locking bolt is arranged at an end of the rod assembly extending itself in the plug-in attachment. The contour piece locks in a first position of the locking element, so that an end of the locking element positively intervenes in a recess of the plug receptacle, and locks in a second position of the locking element, so that the locking element is completely arranged in the channel. The operating mechanism has an operating fork synchronously movable with the robot arm by the drive. The operating fork is coupled with an actuating element when introducing the robot arm into the holding device. A pressure spring is arranged between a conical piece and a front wall of the plug-in attachment. The contour piece is cylindrically formed with a first section, whose diameter corresponds to the diameter of a directing channel, and with a second section with reduced diameter, which forms a radial constriction. A stepless transition is formed between the first and second section. Several locking bolts are arranged in the plug-in attachment, are movably arranged in radially running channels in axial direction, and are fixed by security elements as screws. The recess is introduced as groove in an internal peripheral surface of the plug receptacle. Adjuster screws end in the reception and interact with the locking bolt. The device has an anti-twist stop, which is formed by a double feather key connection. The external actuating element arranged in the area of the holding device is formed as unlocking roller. The first coupling element is formed as an eccentric disk and the second coupling element is formed as a hook claw. The hook claw connected with the casting ladle engages into a reception and/or the drive shaft of the robot arm and is braced by the eccentric disk fastening at the drive shaft. The locking element is formed as locking hook, which bolts the eccentric disk in its end position when driving out the casting ladle and unlocks when settling the casting ladle in the holding device. The eccentric disk has an eccentric surface, which interacts with a clamping block fastened at the casting ladle in a rotating motion of the eccentric disk. A stop is arranged at the hook claw and adjoins and/or strikes against the eccentric disk. The locking hook is tiltably arranged around an axis in spring pre-stressed manner. The locking hook presents itself in its unlocking position in a base position of the casting ladle and adjoins against the stop. The locking hook rests and engages with a detent lug in a snap-in seat of the eccentric disk when driving out of the casting ladle from the holding device in spring pre-stressed manner. The eccentric disk and the locking hook are redundantly formed and are arranged at both sides of the drive shaft of the casting ladle drive.