EP2130624A1 - Straightening bench for straightening containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The bench has an anchoring frame (1) at which multiple grip units (2) are rotatably supported and driven in respective rotation positions. The grip units are detachably fastened for positioning containers (3) which are to be straightened, to the anchoring frame at the container. The grip unit has a ball joint (8) for rotatably supporting at the anchoring frame. The grip unit is formed at the container with a rectangular layout for attachment to a container base (4) within the region of container corners.

Description

The invention relates to a straightening bench for straightening containers, in particular containers, which are used for air traffic and in particular in aircraft.

It is known to direct motor vehicle bodies by means of straightening benches. For example DE 696 14 473 T2 ( EP 0 765 699 B1 ) is known such a bench.

The object of the invention is to provide a bench of the type mentioned, which can be used for straightening damaged containers.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. In the dependent claims advantageous developments of the invention are given.

The straightening bench for straightening containers, includes an anchoring frame on which a plurality of gripper devices are pivotally mounted and can be locked in respective pivoting angular positions.

The gripper devices are to be positioned for positioning of the container to be aligned on the anchoring frame on the container, in particular on projections preferably in the area of the container floor. For containers with a rectangular floor plan, the respective gripper devices in the area of the container corners attack the container floor. In particular, the straightening bench according to the invention can be used in containers in which projections on the bottom of the container, in particular plate-shaped projections are present. These projections may be formed as plate-shaped or rail-shaped protrusions comprising the entire bottom.

The respective gripper means may comprise clamping means which can be releasably secured to the plate-shaped projections of the container by clamping. Preferably, the gripper device has a bearing surface on which the container bottom can be placed in the region of the container corners, wherein two clamping devices which are arranged at an angle corresponding to the corner angle, press the support surface against the container floor. Preferably, the clamping devices are arranged at right angles to the respective corner angle of the container floor on the support surface.

In a preferred embodiment, it may further be provided that the clamping devices are arranged at right angles to one another.

For pivotable mounting of the gripper device and in particular the support surface and the two clamping devices on the anchoring frame, the gripper device may comprise a ball joint. As a result, the gripper device can take steplessly into respective pivoting angle positions in which it can also be locked on the anchoring frame. In particular, even with deformations of the container in the bottom area, a flat abutment of the support surface of the gripper device is achieved on the underside of the container floor by the pivotability of the gripper device.

In a further preferred embodiment it can be provided that the bearing surface and the clamping devices arranged thereon are pivotably mounted on the ball joint.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the ball joint has a through hole, which runs parallel to a support surface to be firmly connected to the anchoring frame, on the gripping device and into which a locking pin can be inserted.

In addition, on a circumference around the ball joint perpendicular to the support surface extending locking pins, provided for a locking of the support surface, in respective angular positions on the gripper device.

It is advantageous if the locking pins arranged at equal angular intervals from each other on the circumference.

The anchoring frame may consist of a base frame, which can also be used elsewhere for directional purposes, for example, in the alignment of motor vehicle bodies used. Optionally, this base frame may be arranged on a chassis or on a lifting device. For fastening the gripper devices, two anchoring bars are provided, each of which consists of two mutually parallel mutually connected beams. The two bars have a certain distance from each other, so that they can be firmly connected to the anchoring of the gripper devices according to the dimensions of the container to be straightened. For this purpose, the respective gripper device may have a support surface, which can be placed on the two beams, and by means of an anchoring device extending through the gap between the two beams, the gripper device can be fastened to the anchoring beam. The anchoring bars are preferably adjustable in their length so that they can be adapted to the corresponding dimensions of the containers to be straightened.

The straightening bench according to the invention can preferably be used for straightening containers, which have at their container floors encircling guide rails, in particular plate-shaped guide rails. Such containers are preferably used in air traffic.

Fig. 1

in Seitenansicht eine Richtbank mit aufgesetztem beschädigten Container;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht einer Greifereinrichtung;

Fig. 3

eine schnittbildliche Darstellung entlang einer Schnittlinie A-A in Figur 2;

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf eine Auflageplatte mit Klemmeinrichtungen an der in Fig. 2 dargestellten Greifereinrichtung;

Fig. 5

eine Seitenansicht eines Verankerungsbalkens welcher Bestandteil des Verankerungsrahmens ist;

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf den in Figur 5 dargestellten Verankerungsbalken; und

Fig. 7

eine schnittbildliche Darstellung des in den Figuren 5 und 6 dargestellten Verankerungsbalkens;

With reference to the figures, the invention will be explained in more detail on an embodiment. It shows:

Fig. 1

in side view a bench with attached damaged container;

Fig. 2

a side view of a gripper device;

Fig. 3

a sectional representation along a section line AA in FIG. 2 ;

Fig. 4

a plan view of a support plate with clamping devices on the in Fig. 2 illustrated gripper device;

Fig. 5

a side view of an anchoring beam which is part of the anchoring frame;

Fig. 6

a top view of the in FIG. 5 illustrated anchoring beam; and

Fig. 7

a sectional representation of the in the FIGS. 5 and 6 anchoring bar shown;

In FIG. 1 an embodiment of a bench is shown on which a damaged container 3 is arranged. The illustrated straightening bench includes an anchoring frame 1, which is supported on a lifting device 18. Instead of the lifting device may be provided on the anchoring frame 1 and a chassis. In this way, the straightening bench is arranged to be movable relative to the ground on which it is supported. By the lifting device 18, the straightening bench is mounted movably in the vertical direction and by a chassis in the horizontal direction on the ground. It is also possible to support the lifting device 18 on a chassis, so that the straightening bench is then designed to be movable both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction.

The anchoring frame 1 consists of a base frame 12 and two anchoring bars 13, which can be attached to the base frame 12. The base frame 12 may be formed to also be used for straightening other objects such as automobile bodies and the like can be. The two anchoring bars 13 are used to adapt the straightening bench for straightening containers, as will be explained in detail.

Each anchoring bar 13 consists of two parallel bars 14. These are arranged by means of spacers 25 parallel to each other and held at a certain distance from each other. For example, by welding, the spacers and the beams 14 are firmly connected. The bars 14 may be designed to be adjustable in length. In the vicinity of the ends of the beams 14 and the anchoring beam 13, lateral slide rails 27 are attached. The slide rails 27 have parallel to the longitudinal extent of the bars 14 extending slots 26. Through the slots 26 extend clamping screws 24 with which clamping shoes 23 when attaching the anchoring bars 13 on the base frame 12 cooperate. For this purpose, not shown profiled pieces, for example, parts of a T-profile on the base frame between the clamping shoes 23 and the slide rails 27 are clamped by tightening the clamping screws 24.

How out FIG. 1 can be seen, according to the dimensions of the container to be addressed 3, the two anchoring bars 13 on the base frame 12, as explained above, attached.

For gripping the container 3, in particular in the area of its container bottom 4, on the anchoring bar 3 and thus on the anchoring frame 1 are gripper devices 2. These gripper devices 2 are used to position the container 3 to be straightened on the anchoring frame 1 to projections 5, which on the container 3 in particular Area of the container bottom 4 are provided, releasably secured. In a container 3 rectangular in plan the attachment using the gripper devices in the container corners, as will be explained in detail.

In the FIGS. 2 to 4 a gripper device 2 and components of this gripper device are shown in detail. For fastening the gripper device 2 to the anchoring bar 13, an anchoring device 17 is provided at the lower part of the gripper device 2. This anchoring device 17 includes an anchoring plate 20 which has on its underside a support surface 9 which can be placed on top of the two beams 14 of the anchoring beam 13. At the top of the anchoring plate 20, a wedging device 11 is displaceably arranged, which has a wedging plate 28 with an obliquely extending longitudinal slot 29 has. The wedging plate 28 is slidably mounted in a column 30 fixed to the top of the anchoring plate 20. Further, in the vertically extending column 30, a tension member 31 is slidably supported in the vertical direction in the form of a rod or a plate. At the elongate tension member 31, in particular in the region of its upper end a protruding into the slot 29 of the wedging plate 28 pin 32 is attached. At the lower end of the tension element 31, an anchoring element 16, for example in the form of an anchoring bolt or an anchoring plate is attached.

With the aid of the thus formed anchoring device 17, the gripper device 2 is attached to the anchoring beam 13 as follows: For this purpose, the anchoring device 17 engages through the gap between the two beams 14 such that the anchoring element 16 rests against the underside of the two beams 14. The tension member 13 extends through the gap between the two beams 14 upwards and the support surface 9 of the anchoring plate 20 rests on the top of the two beams 14. This corresponds to the arrangements of the two in FIG. 1 By sliding the wedging plate 28 by sliding the pin 32 in the oblique longitudinal slot 29, the tension member 31 and the anchoring element 16 attached thereto is vertically moved so that the two bars 16 between the top of the anchoring element 16 and the support surface 9 are clamped. In this way, a locking plate 21 with therein adjustably arranged locking pins 10, and a ball joint 8 on the anchoring bar 13 and thus firmly anchored to the anchoring frame 1.

The ball joint 8 is arranged at the upper part of the column 30 and above the locking plate 21. The ball joint 8 includes a ball joint holder 33 which is formed of two fixedly connected ball joint shells. In the ball joint holder 33, a joint ball 34 is rotatably held in the three spatial directions. At the upper end of the ball joint 34, a support plate 22 is attached. On an overhead support surface 6 of the support plate 22 of the container base 4 is placed with its underside in the respective container corner. In this case, a plate-shaped circumferential projection 5 protrudes between clamping shoes 35 at two clamping devices 7 and the support surface 6. The clamping shoes 35 are held by spring force, for example a compression spring 36 at a distance from the support surface 6. With the help of clamping screws 15 then the projections 5 which between the clamping shoes 35 and the bearing surface 6 are arranged to be clamped against the force of the compression springs 36 ( FIG. 1 ).

In a container with a rectangular cross-section, the clamping devices 7 are arranged on the support surface 6 of the support plate 22 at right angles to each other ( FIG. 4 ). In this way, at right angles to the respective container corner extending at right angles parts of the projection 5, which may be a circumferential projection, positively detected. The support surface 6 lies flat on the underside of the projection 5 and on the underside of the container bottom 4, as is the case FIG. 1 can be seen. The clamping shoes 35 which are tightened by means of the clamping screws 15, while pressing on the top of the projection. 5

How out FIG. 1 can be seen, the positioning of the pivotally mounted in the ball joint 8 support plate 22 adapts to the spatial position of the located in the respective container corners portion of the container bottom 4. If the container floor 4 is horizontal like that at the left corner in FIG. 1 is the case, the support plate 22 is arranged in a horizontal position. If the container floor 4 in a corner, for example, the right corner in FIG. 1 Due to its pivoting in the bearing 8, the support plate 22 also assumes the corresponding inclined position of the bottom part in the container corner due to damage.

For the ball joint 8 and the support plate 22 2 locking means are provided on the gripper device. For a pivotable mounting of the ball joint 34 about an axis parallel to the support surface 9 (horizontal), the ball joint holder 33 has a through the ball joint 34 and the ball joint holder 33 passing hole into which a locking pin 19 can be inserted as in FIG. 2 is shown. Further, three locking pins 10 are arranged on the circumference of the ball joint 8 fixed to the column 30 locking plate 21 on a circumference at equal angular intervals from each other, which extend in the vertical direction. With the help of these locking pins 10, which are mounted in screw threads on the locking plate 21 in the vertical direction adjustable, the support plate 22 can be locked in certain angular positions. For this purpose, the locking plate 22 abuts on its underside at the upper ends of the locking pins 10. When releasing the locking pins 10 from the underside of the support plate 22, these can be pivoted in the ball joint 8.

When straightening the container 3 forces of preferably hydraulically or pneumatically operated straightening tools are brought to act to return the deformed parts of the container 3 back to its desired position. In this case, it is possible to release the locking means (locking pins) provided on the gripper devices 2, so that the corresponding parts of the container 3 to be returned to their desired position can be correspondingly moved. It is also possible by displacing the wedging plate 28 to release the anchoring device 17, so that the respective gripper device 2 can be moved on the anchoring bar 13 in the desired manner and can be anchored in a new position.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

anchoring frame

2

Gripper devices

3

Container

4

container floor

5

head Start

6

bearing surface

7

clamping devices

8th

ball joint

9

support surface

10

locking pins

11

wedge system

12

base frame

13

anchoring beam

14

bar

15

clamping screws

16

anchoring element

17

anchoring device

18

lifting device

19

locking pin

20

anchor plate

21

detent

22

platen

23

clamping shoe

24

clamping screws

25

spacer

26

slots

27

slides

28

Verkeilungsplatte

29

longitudinal slot

30

pillar

31

tension element

32

pen

33

Ball joint support

34

joint ball

35

clamping shoes

36

compression spring

Claims (15)

Straightening bench for straightening containers with an anchoring frame (1) on which a plurality of gripper devices (2) are pivotally mounted and lockable in respective pivot positions, wherein the gripper means (2) for positioning the container (3) to be aligned on the anchoring frame (1) on the container (2) 3) are releasably secure. Bench according to claim 1, characterized in that in a container (3) with a rectangular outline, the respective gripper device (2) is designed for attachment to the container floor (4) in the region of the container corners. Bench according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper device (2) is designed for a releasable positive fastening to a projection (5) of the container, in particular in the region of a container corner. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the gripper device (2) for clamping on a plate-shaped projection (5) of the container (3) is formed. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gripper device (2) has a bearing surface (6) on which the container floor (4) in the region of a container corner can be placed and two corresponding to the corner angle of the container bottom (4) at an angle arranged clamping devices (7) on the support surface (6) are arranged. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the gripper device (2) has a ball joint (8) for the pivotable mounting on the anchoring frame (1). Bench according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the gripper device (2) is continuously pivotable in respective pivoting angle positions relative to the anchoring frame (1) and optionally in the respective pivoting angular position can be locked. Bench according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the bearing surface (6) and the clamping means (7) arranged thereon are pivotally mounted on the ball joint (8). Bench according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the ball joint (8) has a through hole which to a fixed to the anchoring frame (1) support surface (9), parallel to the gripper device (2) and in which Locking pin (19) can be inserted has. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on a circumference around the ball joint (8) perpendicular to the support surface (9) extending locking pins (10), for locking the support surface (6), in respective angular positions on the gripper device (2) are provided. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the gripper device (2) by means of a releasable, in particular a wedging means (11) having anchoring means (17) on the anchoring frame (1) can be fastened. Bench according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the anchoring frame (1) has a base frame (12) and two anchoring bars (13) which can be fastened to the base frame (12), the gripper means (2) being attached to the two anchoring bars (13). are releasably fastened. Bench according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that on the two beams (14) of the anchoring beam (13), the support surface (9) on the respective gripper device (2) can be placed and by means of the space between the two beams ( 14) extending anchoring device (17) on the anchoring bar (10) can be fastened. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the gripper means (2) for attachment to a on the container floor (4) encircling projection (5) are formed. Bench according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the anchoring frame (1) is movably mounted in particular adjustable.

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