Patent Description:
Stacking stations for stacking profiled elements are known. They are used in the processes for forming extruded aluminium profiled elements. The process is known in which aluminium billets are cut into chunks and inserted into presses after being heated in a kiln. The profiled elements thus obtained are cooled, cut, cooled again and sent to an ironing press for uniforming size and materials. At this point, in the stacking station the profiled elements are collected and positioned in a basket while waiting to be sent to an aging kiln. Once the thermal cycle has finished, the profiled elements are packaged, weighed and are then ready for shipment.

Various kinds of stacking stations are known.

A first type is known as a slat stacking system. In that case, the profiled elements are rested on a plurality of slats arranged orthogonally to the profiled elements. An aerial handler member moves slats (and the profiled elements placed on them) positioning them on vertical bars of a basket. A drawback of this solution is connected with the fact that the slats in such a solution enter the production cycle and then need to be separated from the profiled elements downstream of the basket, collected and repositioned to be re-used. Furthermore, during these movements, the slats can be deformed or damaged and require manual intervention for their replacement.

A second type is known as a lance stacking system. In that case the profiled elements are loaded into a basket, on top of one another, by supply belts. It is mainly used for bars intended for subsequent processing considering the possibility of damage. It is a less delicate and more rudimentary system than the previous one.

A third type is known as a basket stacking system. In that case, very large baskets are used. They further comprise a series of horizontal bars arranged transversally to the positioning direction of the profiled elements and arranged on top of each other at various heights. The baskets also comprise vertical rods to which the bars are welded. The basket can be lifted and lowered to allow the insertion of the profiled elements at the desired height. A drawback of such solution is connected with the fact that the basket has a rigid and very bulky structure. This has a negative impact also in energy terms as they occupy large volumes inside aging kilns without any optimisation of the necessary spaces for supporting the profiled elements to be subjected to heat treatment.

The three types indicated above are automatic stacking systems. There are also manual stacking systems, in which the profiled elements are taken and placed in the basket by an operator.

It is also known a stacking station of the type disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>. <CIT> relates to a rack for stacking metal sections. This document discloses a stacking station having the features of the preamble of Claim <NUM>.

The object of the present invention is to provide a stacking station that allows maximum operating flexibility allowing the dimensions to be reduced at the same time.

The stated technical task and the specified objects are substantially achieved by a stacking station comprising the technical features disclosed in claim <NUM> and by the method of claim <NUM>.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following indicative and therefore nonlimiting description of a stacking station as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:.

In the appended figures the reference number <NUM> indicates a stacking station for stacking rod-shaped profiled elements made of aluminium (meaning alloy comprising aluminium). Such profiled elements have a predominant longitudinal extension. The profiled elements are typically obtained by extrusion. The station <NUM> comprises at least one basket <NUM>.

The basket <NUM> comprises support bars <NUM> of the profiled elements. Such bars <NUM> are also called "slats" or "dividers" in the technical field. Such bars <NUM> extend transversally, preferably orthogonally, to a loading direction of the profiled elements in the stacking station <NUM>. The bars <NUM> extend horizontally. The bars <NUM> are all parallel to one other. Distinct bars <NUM> are located at different heights. A plurality of bars extends on top of one another along successive vertical planes that extend along the loading direction of the profiled elements in the stacking station <NUM>. A plurality of bars <NUM> are located one after the other (along the loading direction of the profiled elements) and operate jointly for supporting at the same height at least one of said profiled elements (which is then positioned horizontally). The basket <NUM> also comprises support means <NUM> of the support bars <NUM>. On this point, the basket <NUM> comprises pairs of uprights <NUM> that extend between the top and the bottom along which the support means <NUM> are placed. Such uprights <NUM> are located along side flanks opposite the basket <NUM>. The bars <NUM> extend between a same pair of uprights <NUM>. The support bars <NUM> are removable from the support means <NUM>. This facilitates replacement in the event of damage.

The support means <NUM> comprise pairs of seats <NUM> at the ends of which a corresponding bar <NUM> is inserted. It is possible to remove every individual bar <NUM> independently from the other bars <NUM>. The removal of the bars <NUM> takes place manually without the use of tools.

Each pair of said seats <NUM> is intended to support a corresponding bar <NUM>. Each of said seats <NUM> defines a concavity <NUM> that is open in an upwards direction.

The support bars <NUM> can be inserted from above into the concavity <NUM>. The bars <NUM> can therefore be simply extracted by lifting the support means <NUM> and removed.

However, during the operation of the stacking station <NUM>, the removal of the bars <NUM> from the support means <NUM> is not envisaged (or necessary).

The stacking station <NUM> (or the basket <NUM>) also comprises modulating means <NUM> of the vertical component of the distance between the support means <NUM> of the support bars <NUM>. Therefore they allow a modulation/adjustment of such vertical component. This is with the aim of changing the vertical pitch at which to position the profiled elements. This takes place by vertically moving at least a part of the support means <NUM>. In particular, the support means <NUM> are placed along a plurality of vertical planes in succession with each other. The modulating means <NUM> allow the movement of the support means <NUM> that are located on one of said vertical planes with respect to the support means <NUM> that are located on other vertical planes (this can be advantageously repeated for each group of support means <NUM> lying on the same vertical plane). The modulating means <NUM> therefore allow a basket <NUM> to be provided that can be defined "with modular slats" (wherein the slats are bars <NUM>) or even "modulating basket". The modulation of the vertical pitch between the profiled elements takes place as a function of the specific requirements of the profiled elements (height of the profiled elements, quantity of air that needs to circulate between the layers of profiled elements in the subsequent step in the aging kiln, etc.).

Appropriately the modulating means <NUM> acting on the support means <NUM> move various support bars <NUM> simultaneously. Advantageously, the modulating means <NUM> allow the support means <NUM> to be positioned in a discrete number of positions. Therefore, the vertical pitch of the profiled elements can be adjusted between a discrete number of positions. The user can choose the desired vertical pitch of the profiled elements (spacing). It can be selected between a number of predefined values.

For example, in the configuration of <FIG> the basket <NUM> has a smaller vertical pitch of the profiled elements with respect to the configuration of <FIG> which in turn is even smaller with respect to the one assumed in the configuration of <FIG>. The support bars <NUM> are distributed on various vertical planes.

In <FIG> to maximise the vertical pitch of the profiled elements the support means <NUM> of the bars <NUM> that lie on a first vertical plane are horizontally aligned with corresponding support means <NUM> of the bars <NUM> that lie on all the remaining vertical planes. In <FIG>, and even more so in <FIG>, the support means <NUM> of the bars <NUM> that lie on the first vertical plane are horizontally staggered with a greater number of support means <NUM> which lie on the remaining vertical planes with respect to the configuration of <FIG>. The basket <NUM> comprises a first and a second support station <NUM>, <NUM>. The first and the second support station <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged in succession with each other and operate jointly to support at least one of said profiled elements. The first and the second station <NUM>, <NUM> are in succession along a loading direction of the profiled elements into the stacking station <NUM>. The first and the second station <NUM>, <NUM> are in succession along two different pairs of uprights <NUM>.

In practice, the first and second station <NUM>, <NUM> define two support zones of a same profiled element. This allows the profiled elements to be kept substantially horizontal. Advantageously, a number of stations greater than three are present (in the solution illustrated in the appended figures there are eight) to allow suitable support of the profiled elements by distributing the weight on various contact points.

The first and the second station <NUM>, <NUM> are intended to support respectively a first and a second group <NUM>, <NUM> of said bars <NUM>.

The bars of the first group <NUM> (those of the first station <NUM>) are organised on a plurality of vertical planes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, preferably three, as exemplified in <FIG>. Also the bars of the second group <NUM> (those of the second station) lie on a plurality of flanked vertical planes <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, preferably three, (again as exemplified in <FIG>). The bars of the first group <NUM> are further from the bars of the second group <NUM> than the distance that passes between the vertical planes of the bars of the first group <NUM>. Advantageously, the bars of the first group <NUM> and the bars of the second group <NUM> are at least <NUM> centimetres from each other. The first and the second station <NUM>, <NUM> each comprise two side flanks between which the bars of the first and of the second group <NUM>, <NUM> respectively extend.

The modulating means <NUM> comprise a first handler member <NUM> suitable for activating the support means <NUM> of the first group <NUM> of bars; such first handler member <NUM> can assume a discrete number of configurations to which a different pitch corresponds between the bars of the first group <NUM>; such first handler member <NUM> can be activated by an actuator; each configuration of the first handler member <NUM> corresponds to a predetermined position of the support means <NUM> of the first group <NUM> of bars.

The modulating means <NUM> further comprise a second handler member <NUM> that adjusts the vertical component of the distance between the bars of the second group <NUM>. The first and the second handler member <NUM>, <NUM> could be activated by a common actuator.

The stacking station <NUM> also comprises supply means (not illustrated) of profiled elements to the basket <NUM>. Such supply means are placed downstream of the basket <NUM>. They comprise, for example, a roller or a supply belt. The station <NUM> also comprises advancing means <NUM> of the profiled elements between the first and the second station <NUM>, <NUM>. The advancing means <NUM> of the profiled elements comprise at least a motorised roller <NUM>. The stacking station <NUM> further comprises raising/lowering means <NUM> of the basket <NUM> with respect to the advancing means <NUM>. Appropriately, the station <NUM> comprises raising/lowering means <NUM> joined to the basket <NUM> and the advancing means <NUM> with respect to an absolute reference fixed in space. The raising/lowering means <NUM> allow the supply means to be aligned with at least one of said bars <NUM>. In this way the profiled element at the outlet from the supply means is housed in the basket <NUM>. First the lower portion of the basket <NUM> is filled and then the upper portion. The raising/lowering means <NUM> of the basket <NUM> with respect to the advancing means <NUM> allow the advancing means <NUM> to be aligned with the profile that is being inserted into the basket <NUM> in order to facilitate the advancement thereof.

The subject matter of the present invention is a stacking station. The stacking station can also be used as de-stacking station.

The subject matter of the present invention is also an operating method of a stacking station <NUM> for stacking profiled elements made of aluminium of the present invention.

The step of adjusting the vertical component of the distance between the support means <NUM> of the first group <NUM> envisages moving at least a portion of the support bars <NUM> supported by said support means <NUM>.

The step of adjusting the vertical component of the distance between the support means <NUM> envisages adjusting the vertical pitch of the bars of the first and second station <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, <FIG> highlight three alternative adjustments showing the variation of the vertical pitch.

The profiled elements are positioned on the basket <NUM> advantageously through supply means, such as a roller or a belt. The supply means preferably lie at a fixed height. Advantageously the profiled elements are loaded into the lower portion of the basket <NUM> and the upper portions of the basket <NUM> are loaded gradually. This is possible through raising/lowering means <NUM> joined to the basket <NUM> and the advancing means <NUM> with respect to an absolute reference fixed in space. They allow the bars <NUM> intended to house the lower layer of profiled elements to be aligned with the supply means and then to gradually lower the basket <NUM> for filling the upper bars <NUM> with the profiled elements.

Furthermore, such operation is also accompanied by a movement of the raising/lowering means <NUM> of the basket <NUM> with respect to the advancing means <NUM>. In this way, the advancing means <NUM> are positioned at the same level as the supply means for facilitating the advancement of the profiled elements along the basket <NUM>.

Once the basket <NUM> has been filled, it can be removed from the stacking station <NUM> through, for example, an aerial handler member <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

The present invention achieves important advantages.

Above all, it prevents the support bars of the profiled elements from being removed from the basket to circulate along some steps of the cycle. Therefore, the step of having to recover such bars for repositioning them on the basket is prevented. Furthermore, it has maximum operating flexibility, allowing the vertical pitch between different layers of profiled elements to be adjusted, managing to contain the dimensions of the basket. Furthermore, the maintenance of the bars <NUM> is extremely easy.

The invention as it is conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, the scope of protection of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A stacking station for stacking rod-shaped profiled elements made of aluminium, comprising a basket (<NUM>) in turn comprising:
- support bars (<NUM>) of the profiled elements;
- support means (<NUM>) of the support bars (<NUM>);
- a plurality of pairs of uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>) that extend between the top and the bottom along which the support means (<NUM>) are placed, said uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>) being located along side flanks opposite the basket (<NUM>), the support bars (<NUM>) extending between a same pair of uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>);
so that the pairs of uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>) with their respective support bars (<NUM>) are located in successive vertical planes that extend along the loading direction of the profiled elements in the stacking station (<NUM>);
- modulating means (<NUM>) of the vertical component of the distance between the support means (<NUM>) of the support bars (<NUM>),
wherein the modulating means (<NUM>) allow a vertical movement of a pair of uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>) and its support means (<NUM>) that are located on one of said vertical planes with respect to the pair of uprights (<NUM>-<NUM>; <NUM>-<NUM>) and their support means (<NUM>) that are located on other vertical (<NUM>) planes; characterized in that the support means (<NUM>) comprise pairs of seats each defining a concavity (<NUM>) that is open in an upwards direction, the support bars (<NUM>) being insertable from above into said concavity (<NUM>)
so that the support bars (<NUM>) are removable from the support means (<NUM>).