US 11,173,563 B2Granted

Systems and methods for reducing the size of a material

OwnerThierry Rozotinventor

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Abstract

Automated systems and methods for making cuts in large materials, particularly to trim and reduce the sizes of steel plates and slabs and produce therefrom one or more reduced-size pieces, optionally with the ability to reduce or avoid the need to perform a separate deburring operation on the materials after undergoing such cuts. Such a system includes multiple support units aligned in a longitudinal direction of a foundation and longitudinal and cross cutting units translatable in the longitudinal direction for performing, respectively, longitudinal and lateral cuts in a material. The support units are independently translatable in the longitudinal direction and each support unit has a crossmember that extends in the lateral direction, is adapted to at least partially support the material, and is operable to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction while the material is supported by the crossmembers.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An automated cutting system for reducing the size of a material by making cuts in X-axis and Y-axis directions of the material, the automated cutting system comprising:

a foundation having a longitudinal direction along an X axis of the automated cutting system and corresponding to the X-axis direction of the material, a lateral direction along a Y axis of the automated cutting system and corresponding to the Y-axis direction of the material, a vertical direction along a Z axis of the automated cutting system, and at least a first support wall disposed in the longitudinal direction of the foundation;
multiple support units aligned in the longitudinal direction of the foundation, the support units being independently translatable in the longitudinal direction and each of the support units comprising a crossmember that extends in the lateral direction, is adapted to at least partially support the material, and is independently operable to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction so that the crossmembers are independently operable to support the material in raised positions of the support units and independently operable so that individual crossmembers of the crossmembers can be lowered to create a clearance with the material and not support the material while the material is supported by others of the crossmembers, the first support wall of the foundation being positioned relative to the support units so that the crossmembers thereof rest on the first support wall in lowermost positions of the support units and are raised off of the first support wall in the raised positions of the support units;
at least one longitudinal cutting unit translatable in the longitudinal direction and comprising at least one torch adapted for performing a longitudinal cut in the material along the X axis thereof while the material is supported by the crossmembers of the support units;
and
at least one cross cutting unit translatable in the longitudinal direction and comprising at least one torch adapted for performing a lateral cut in the material along the Y-axis thereof while the material is supported by the crossmembers of the support units.

2 more elements

A method of operating an automated cutting system to reduce the size of a material by making cuts in X-axis and Y-axis directions of the material and produce at least one reduced-size piece therefrom, the method comprising:

providing a foundation having a longitudinal direction along an X axis of the automated cutting system and corresponding to the X-axis direction of the material, a lateral direction along a Y axis of the automated cutting system and corresponding to the Y-axis direction of the material, a vertical direction along a Z axis of the automated cutting system, and at least a first support wall disposed in the longitudinal direction of the foundation;
translating support units in the longitudinal direction;
lowering crossmembers of the support units to rest on the first support wall of the foundation;
placing the material on the crossmembers;
raising the material by lifting the crossmembers off the first support wall;
translating a longitudinal cutting unit in the longitudinal direction while making a longitudinal cut with a first torch in the Y-axis direction of the material while the material is supported by the crossmembers of the support units, individual crossmembers of the crossmembers being independently and individually lowered to create clearances with the material in sequence as the longitudinal cutting unit approaches and passes the support units associated with the individual crossmembers;
and
translating a cross cutting unit in the longitudinal direction and then making a cross cut with a second torch in the X-axis direction of the material while the material is supported by the crossmembers of the support units.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/592,441Filed 3 Oct 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 3 Oct 2018
Published: US 2020/0108460 A19 Apr 2020
Granted: 16 Nov 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B23K 7/003
Machines, apparatus or equipment for cutting plane workpieces, e.g. plates: machines, apparatus or equipment for cutting long articles, e.g. cast…
B22D 11/1265
For cutting: having auxiliary devices for deburring
B23K 7/10
Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames: auxiliary devices, e.g. for guiding or supporting the torch
B23K 7/102
Auxiliary devices, e.g. for guiding or supporting the torch: for controlling the spatial relationship between the workpieces and the gas torch