# US 2013/0156522 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Cutting a Mill Plate

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- Number: US 2013/0156522 A1
- Document ID: US20130156522A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/328,141
- Filed: 2011-12-16
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Assignees: Peddinghaus Corporation
- Inventors: James Magnuson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156522A1

## CPC

- B23Q 15/22: Control or regulation of position of tool or workpiece
- B23C 3/002: {Milling elongated workpieces}
- B23K 7/002: {Machines, apparatus or equipment for cutting plane workpieces, e.g. plates}
- B23K 10/00: Welding or cutting by means of a plasma
- B21B 15/0007: {Cutting or shearing the product}
- Y10T 409/300896: with sensing of numerical information and regulation without mechanical connection between sensing means and regulated means [i.e., numerical control]
- Y10T 409/30112: Process
- B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
- B23C: MILLING (broaching B23D; broach-milling in making gears B23F; arrangement for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A cutting device for a mill plate including a cutting tool supported for movement in a Y-direction and cutting in a Z-direction, and a conveyor for conveying a mill plate in the X-direction. A measuring device is movable in the X-direction along one side of a mill plate supported on the conveyor to map the X-axis and Y-axis positions of the mill plate one side. Positioning guides adjacent one side of the conveyor are adjusted in the Y-direction to follow the mapped Y-axis position of the mill plate one side at the X-axis position of the mill plate one side aligned with the positioning guides as the mill plate is conveyed in the X-direction. A clamp on the side opposite the mill plate one side is adapted to push the mill plate opposite side in the Y-direction to maintain the mill plate one side in engagement with the positioning guides.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cutting device for a mill plate, comprising:
a cutting tool supported for movement in a Y-direction of an X-Y-Z orthogonal coordinate system, said cutting tool cutting in the Z-direction through a mill plate lying generally in an X-Y plane with a thickness in the Z-direction;
a conveyor adapted to convey a supported mill plate in the X-direction;
a measuring device at a first portion of the conveyor, said measuring device being located on one side of said conveyor and being movable in the X-direction along one side of a supported mill plate to map the X-axis and Y-axis positions of the supported mill plate one side;
a plurality of fixed guide rollers along said one side of a second portion of the conveyor adjacent the cutting tool, said rollers rotatable about axes oriented in the Z-direction wherein said axes lie in a X-Z plane;
at least two positioning guides adjacent the conveyor one side, said positioning guides adjusting said rollers in the Y-direction to follow said mapped Y-axis position of the mill plate one side at the X-axis position of the mill plate one side aligned with the positioning guides as the mill plate is conveyed in said X-direction; and
at least two clamps on the side opposite the mill plate one side adapted to push the mill plate opposite side in the Y-direction to maintain the mill plate one side in engagement with the positioning rollers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cutting device of claim 1, wherein said positioning guide rollers are rotatable about axes oriented in the Z-direction, and said positioning guide roller axes are selectively movable in the Y-direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cutting device of claim 1, wherein said conveyor is adapted to control the position of the mill plate in the X-direction, and each positioning guide is selectively adjustable to position its roller in the mapped Y-axis position corresponding to the X-axis position of the mill plate one side engaging the positioning guide.

### Claim 4

A cutting device for a mill plate, comprising:
a cutting tool supported for movement in a Y-direction of an X-Y-Z orthogonal coordinate system, said cutting tool cutting in the Z-direction through a mill plate lying generally in an X-Y plane with a thickness in the Z-direction;
a conveyor adapted to convey a supported mill plate in the X-direction;
a measuring device at a first portion of the conveyor, said measuring device being located on one side of said conveyor and being movable in the X-direction along one side of a supported mill plate to map the X-axis and Y-axis positions of the supported mill plate one side;
at least two positioning guides adjacent the conveyor one side, said positioning guides adjusted in the Y-direction to follow said mapped Y-axis position of the mill plate one side at the X-axis position of the mill plate one side aligned with the positioning guides as the mill plate is conveyed in said X-direction; and
a clamp on the side opposite the mill plate one side adapted to push the mill plate opposite side in the Y-direction to maintain the mill plate one side in engagement with the positioning guides.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cutting device of claim 4, wherein said positioning guides include rollers rotatable about axes oriented in the Z-direction, and said positioning guide roller axes are selectively movable in the Y-direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The cutting device of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of fixed guide rollers adjacent said one side of the mill plate on said conveyor, said plurality of fixed guide rollers being rotatable about axes oriented in the Z-direction wherein said axes lie in a X-Z plane;

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The cutting device of claim 4, wherein said conveyor is adapted to control the position of the mill plate in the X-direction, and each positioning guide includes a roller and is selectively adjustable to position its roller in the mapped Y-axis position corresponding to the X-axis position of the mill plate one side engaging the positioning guide.

### Claim 8

A method of cutting a mill plate, comprising:
locating a mill plate on a conveyor with the mill plate substantially lying in an X-Y plane with a thickness in the Z-direction of an X-Y-Z orthogonal coordinate system;
mapping the X-axis and Y-axis positions of one side of the mill plate, said mill plate one side extending in generally the X-direction;
conveying the mill plate in the X-direction to a cutting tool supported for movement in the Y-direction, said cutting tool generally cutting in the Z-direction;
moving said mill plate in the X-direction and said cutting tool in the Y-direction and Z-direction while selectively cutting said mill plate; and
during said moving step, biasing said mill plate one side in the Y-direction against positioning guides spaced generally in the X-direction along said mill plate one side, wherein said positioning guides are adjusted in the Y-direction in accordance with mapped variations in the Y-axis positions at the X-axis positions of the mill plate one side aligned with the positioning guides to prevent twisting of the mill plate during moving of said mill plate in the X-direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising storing said mapped X-axis and Y-axis positions of said mill plate one side, and adjusting each positioning guide to match the Y-axis positions of the mill plate one side with the associated X-axis positions of said mill plate aligned in the X-direction with said positioning guides.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said biasing is accomplished by pushing the mill plate side opposite said mill plate one side toward said positioning guides.