Method and apparatus for removing target sections of sheet metal from a continuous coil and placing those sections in separate continuous coils in a continuous operation
AssigneeThyssen Industries AG Maschinenbau
InventorsKurt K. J. Jack, Gerhard G. A. Alber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively removing target sections from a continuous coil of sheet metal and connecting those sections to one or more sheet metal take-up winders. Depending upon the thicknesses or amount of defects in each detected target section, the corresponding target can be connected to an appropriate continuous sheet metal winder which therein contains a specific classification of sheet metal. Defects, such as errant sheet metal thicknesses, can be removed from a continuous coil and placed on a raw sheet metal coil separate from a finished sheet metal coil containing substantially no defects.
Claims32
A method for selectively removing target sections of sheet metal from a continuous coil of sheet metal and placing those sections in a separate continuous coil of target sheet metal, comprising the steps of:
- drawing said sheet metal from said coil along an elongated table and onto a first sheet metal winder;
- sensing a target section of sheet metal within said drawn sheet metal;
- cutting said sheet metal at a region immediately prior to said target section to produce a first end of said sheet metal attached to said first winder and a second end of said sheet metal attached to said coil;
- further drawing said sheet metal onto said first winder such that said first end is partially withdrawn from said table;
- providing a second sheet metal winder containing a continuous coil of target sheet metal sections and having a third end thereof;
- unwinding said second sheet metal winder to advance said third end onto said table and in close alignment with said second end;
- welding said second and third ends together;
- and
- winding said second sheet metal winder to draw target sheet metal from said coil of sheet metal and onto said second sheet metal winder as said continuous coil of target sheet metal.
A method for selectively separating, in a continuous operation, target sections from a continuous coil of original sheet metal and connecting those sections onto separate continuous coils of finished sheet metal or raw sheet metal, comprising the steps of:
- drawing said original sheet metal from said continuous coil along an elongated table and onto a first sheet metal winder containing said finished sheet metal;
- sensing a target section of original sheet metal having a thickness outside a desired thickness range;
- cutting said original sheet metal at a region immediately prior to said target section;
- drawing said finished sheet metal onto said first winder;
- providing a second sheet metal winder containing a continuous coil of target sheet metal sections of raw sheet metal;
- unwinding said second sheet metal winder to advance said raw sheet metal toward said original sheet metal;
- welding the end of said raw sheet metal to the end of said original sheet metal;
- winding said second sheet metal winder to draw target sheet metal from said coil and onto said second sheet metal winder as said continuous coil of raw sheet metal;
- sensing a subsequent target section of sheet metal having a thickness within a desired thickness range;
- and,
- repeating said steps of cutting said original sheet at a region immediately before said subsequent target section, drawing said raw sheet metal onto said second winder, unwinding said first sheet metal winder to advance said finished sheet metal toward said original sheet metal, welding said finished sheet metal to said target section of original sheet metal and winding said target section onto said first sheet metal winder as said continuous coil of finished sheet metal.
A method for selectively separating target sections from an original continuous coil of sheet metal and connecting those sections onto either separate continuous coils of finished sheet metal or raw sheet metal, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cutting and welding laser;
- drawing said sheet metal from said original continuous coil along an elongated table and onto a first sheet metal winder containing said finished sheet metal;
- providing a shunt mechanism attached to said table and along said sheet metal path between said laser and said first sheet metal winder;
- sensing a target section of sheet metal having a thickness outside a desired thickness range;
- cutting with said cutting laser said sheet metal orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said sheet metal at a region immediately prior to said target section to produce a first end of said finished sheet metal attached to said first winder and a second end of said sheet metal attached to said original coil;
- further drawing said finished sheet metal onto said first winder such that said first end is partially withdrawn from said table and past said shunt mechanism;
- providing a second sheet metal winder displaced from the longitudinal axis of said finished sheet metal and containing a continuous coil of target sheet metal section and having a third end thereof;
- unwinding said second sheet metal winder to advance said third end toward said original coil past said shunt mechanism and in longitudinal and pivotal alignment with said second end;
- fixing said third end and said second end in close proximity to each other;
- welding said second end and said third end together with said welding laser;
- winding said second sheet metal winder to draw said target sheet metal from said coil and onto said second sheet metal winder as said continuous coil of raw sheet metal;
- sensing a subsequent target section of sheet metal having a thickness within a desired thickness range;
- cutting with said cutting laser said sheet metal orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said sheet metal at a point immediately prior to said subsequent target section to produce a fourth end of said raw sheet metal attached to said second winder and a fifth end of said sheet metal attached to said original coil;
- further drawing said raw sheet metal onto said second winder such that said fourth end is partially withdrawn from said table and past said shunt mechanism;
- unwinding said first sheet metal winder to advance said first end toward said original coil past said shunt mechanism and in longitudinal and pivotal alignment with said fifth end;
- fixing said first end and said fifth end in close proximity to each other;
- welding said first end and said fifth end together with said welding laser;
- winding said first sheet metal winder to draw said subsequent target sheet metal from said coil and onto said first sheet metal winder as said continuous coil of finished sheet metal;
- and,
- repeating the above steps.
An apparatus for selectively separating target sections from a continuous coil of original sheet metal and connecting those sections onto separate continuous coils of target sheet metal, comprising:
- an original coil containing said original sheet metal;
- an elongated table spaced from said original coil for receiving said sheet metal drawn from said coil;
- a pair of clamping jaws attached to said table and capable of clamping onto said drawn sheet metal;
- a sensor displaced along said table for detecting target sections within said drawn sheet metal;
- means mounted on said table between said pair of jaws for cutting said sheet metal immediately prior to said target section;
- first winder means spaced from said original coil for drawing said cut sheet metal;
- a second winder spaced from said original coil and said first winder and containing said continuous target sections;
- means mounted on said table between said clamping jaws for joining said continuous target sections to the detected target section on said original sheet metal;
- and,
- means for winding upon said second winder said detected target section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.