WO2008122999A1

WO2008122999A1 - System and method to join coils in a coaxial way

Info

Publication number: WO2008122999A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000264
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fausto Sartini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-04-06
Filing date: 2007-04-06
Publication date: 2008-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-06

Abstract

The invention regards a system and a method to join more coils together so as to have a single cylinder-shaped object which is easy to carry and handle for the workers.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD TO JOIN COILS IN A COAXIAL WAY

Technical Field

The invention regards the technical field of production and/or stockpiling of large- sized coils. In particular, the invention regards the technical field of preparation of coils of middle large-sized pipes.

Background Art

In order to produce coils winding machines are used, as well as so-called radial or torojdal strapping machines, which keep together the coils with metal or plastic straps wound around the coil perpendicularly to its loops, inside or outside the torus. Having been so fixed, the! coils are handled with special devices. Sometimes they are mounted on pallets, either separately or in groups of coils, depending on their size. The coils obviously occupy a cylindrical space and have only one naturally stable position, that is with their base laid, whereas if they are to be laid parallely to their axis a system is required which prevents them to roll, and that is when the single coils are usually fixed to the pallet

Very large-sized coils are therefore mounted on pallets, either separately, with their axis in a horizontal position, or in groups of two or at most three coils placed one on another, with their axis on a vertical position. In this case the maximum height of the carried load constitutes the limit to the number of coils which can be placed one on another.

In neither case the number of coils loaded on the trucks is ever optimised, because owing to their shape there is a significant waste of space on the loading platform. Besides, in case the coils are handled and loaded one by one, either palletised or not, these operations have to repeated for each coil, so that they also have a greater incidence on the productive process as well as on the ultimate cost. Nowadays integrated systems of winding, strapping and also palletising machines exist but, as already said, such systems do not solve the complex problem of the handling and that of space, particularly for the loading on trucks. The solution proposed along with the present invention starts from the idea of placing the coils on the loading platform, so that they are aligned like large pipes. In so doing the waste of space is limited compared with the vertical axis or pallet arrangements and handling more coils at the same time is also possible. Evidently, since the horizontal axis position is not naturally stable, it is necessary to secure the aligned coils by using straps, ribbons or ropes so as to have a virtually single coil of greater length.

The system proposed in the present invention is therefore a system for composing sets of coils aligned along the axis and stably kept together so that they can be handled and loaded as they are a single pipe-shaped object.

Disclosure of invention In its simplest configuration the system includes

- among the means which are currently used in the goods lifting and handling industry, at least one handling device which is suitable to lift coils having even very long axes.

- at least one bearing surface for the coils, of suitable size to host a certain amount of aligned and coaxial coils.

- at least one device to tie the coils together, for example a radial or toroidal strapping machine, which might be modified in case of coils with extremely long axes as a result of a joining of coils.

According to the invention, the system requires the aforesaid devices to perform the following functions:

1. the handling equipment loads a certain number of coils, one at a time, on the bearing surface, places them with their axes parallel to the bearing surface and aligns them.

2. After the coils have been so loaded, the bearing surface keeps them still and, if necessary, makes it possible to rotate them.

3. After all the required coils are loaded on the bearing surface, the binding equipment joins the set of coils together by means of a radial or toroidal binding

4. the set of coils looks as a single coil. It is unloaded from the bearing surface by a handling device, as it is a large pipe, and loaded on a truck or stocked.

This method may be further optimized: 3a After a first binding (step 3 of the method), the coils are made to make a rotation in parallel, by rolling either on themselves or on a surface, of a given angle (e.g. a quarter of a turn)

3b The binding equipment ties the set of coils again by means of a radial or toroidal binding. The position of the second binding in relation to the first one depends on the degree of the angle of the rotation made by the coils. 3c The operations described in 3a and 3b are repeated until the set of coils has not enough radial or toroidal bindings to keep the coils together during all the handling operations they will undergo. At this point the set of coils looks as a single coil and step 4 may be taken as described above.

The system can even include two handling devices, instead of one: one to be used for the single coils and the other one for the sets of coils.

Similarly the other elements of the plan described above (handling device - bearing surface - strapping machine) can be multiplied to realize more complex configurations, in order to have improvements in productivity. For example there can be more than one bearing surface, or a single surface which can host more coils - that is a set of coils being composed, another set or more other sets of coils being tied and others of coils still to be unloaded. It is also possible to have more than one strapping machine, working on different sets at the same time or with different work angles or each binding the coils after the set has made a certain rotation. The operations described in the method can be performed either sequentially on a single set or simultaneously on different sets of coils like in a chain process. Pictures 1 and 2 display an example of a diagram of the system and of a facility realising the system which is the subject of the invention. The system is composed of

- means to handle (1)

- means to tie (7)

- bearing surface (3). A robot (1) loads the coils (2), one at a time, on a roller platform (3) on which there are two couples of rollers (4) and (5). The coils are aligned on two rollers (4) in groups of five (6). After the first group is completed (6), the robot (1) keeps on loading the second couple of rollers (5). At the same time a radial strapping machine (7) of suitable length starts setting a strap (8) on the first set of coils. The group is made to make a 60° rotation on the roller platform, the strapping machine can set a second strap (9) and finally the group is made to rotate again in order that the last strap can be set. So the group of coils is firmly secured together. The first set of coils can now be loaded on the truck (10), while the strapping machine is going on to secure the second set of coils.

With regards to the pictures in the appendix, a system to make a coaxial joining of two or more coils, especially so as to limit their size during the handling, which is in accordance with the present invention includes:

- handling means (1) meant to place on a working platform (3) the aforesaid two or more coils so that they are one next to the other and coaxial;

- means to tie the coils (7), after they have been placed side by side, with a binder or any other suitable device so that the two or more coaxial coils are tied together in a single set in the shape of a coil as high as the total amount of the heights of all the coils in the set and having the same diameter. The system includes a supporting platform on which the coils are laid and to which, if necessary, they are secured for the processing. Advantageously one or more of the aforesaid handling means (1) and/or means to tie the coils (7) and/or supporting platform (3) are movable on wheels and their reciprocal position changes over time.

Advantageously, while the handling means place the coils on a working platform, the binding device ties another set of coils previously composed on the same working platform or on another one, or the supporting platform makes it possible to move one or more sets of coils on the platform itself, so that the composition of the set, its binding and the unloading of the set from the supporting platform are sequentially performed in different working spots like in a chain process.

Advantageously the supporting unit is composed of at least a couple of supports, placed on a platform parallel to the axis of a coil and at such a distance that the coil is prevented from rolling. The aforesaid couple of supports is also composed of two parallel rollers (4) and these parallel rollers rotate and at the same time make a group of two or more adjoining and coaxial coils leaning against them rotate on itself. Advantageously one or both of the aforesaid parallel rollers are connected to an engine-driven system which sets one roller in motion, the other one being idle, or makes both the rollers rotate synchronously. Similarly the supporting unit is composed of a roller platform (3) with two or more couples of rollers (4 and 5). In these systems the length of the rollers is not less than the product of the height of a coil multiplied by the maximum number of coils that are joined together. A system to join two or more coils in accordance with the present invention is also characterised by the fact that it includes a handling robot (1), a roller platform (3) and one or more binding devices (7) which make one or more diametral or toroidal bindings and make them such that between one binding and another the roller platform makes a group of two or more coils rotate of a set angle. The system also includes several supporting units which work under a modular set- up in order to support larger groups of coils or more than one group.

Advantageously a handling means included in the system which is subject of this invention is made up of one or more devices meant to, either in parallel or separately, hoist and move from and to the supporting unit the coils and/or sets of coils. The system includes a crane or a tackle or a hoist or a bridge crane ot a robot, it is completely or partially driven by human force, by electricity or by an internal- combustion engine and it is completely or partially mechanical or hydraulic or pneumatic.

Advantageously the coils are tied by means of cordage, metal drawn wires, plastic drawn wires or a combination of two or more of such binding means; a binding means used to tie the coils includes a joining device at one or both of its ends, such as a buckle, a hook, an eyelet, one or more pins, one or more buttons, one or more joint systems and a binder is an automatic or manual device made up of one or more devices performing one or more of the following operations:

• placing of a binding means or of a section of the means in the final binding position,

• cutting of the binding means according to the proper length, • stable joining of the two ends of the binding means

The two ends of the binding means are joined together by welding or knotting operations or by means of one or more joining devices such as a buckle, a hook, an eyelet, one or more pins or buttons, one or more joint systems. A method to implement the system which is in accordance with the present invention is characterised by the fact that it includes at least the following steps:

• loading of the coils on the supporting unit, by laying on it a section of the lateral surface of the coil and by setting at least two or more coils in an adjoining and coaxial position. • making of one or more radial and/or toroidal bindings on each set of two or more adjoining and coaxial coils

Different radial and/or toroidal bindings which have been made on the same set are uniformly distributed on the lateral surface of the cylindrical volume of the set Brief description of drawings Picture 1 displays a diagram of the system which is the subject of the invention. Picture 2 displays a possible technical realization of the invention

Claims

1. System to join two or more coils characterised by tihe fact that it inclμdes at least - handling means (1) meant to place on a working platform the aforesaid two or more coils, so that they are one next to the other and coaxial; - means to tie the aforesaid coils (7), after they have been placed side by side, with a binder or any other suitable device, so that the two or more coaxial coils are tied together in a single set in the shape of a coil as high as the total amount of the heights of all the coils in the set and having the same diameter.

2. System of which in claim 1 characterised by the fact that it includes a suppprting platform on which the coils are laid and to which, if necessary, they are secured for the processing;

3. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that one or more of the aforesaid handling means (1) and/or means to tie the coils (7) and/or supporting platform (3) are movable on wheels;

4. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that during the performing of the operations the reciprocal position of the aforesaid handling means, binding means and supporting platform changes over time.

5. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the supporting platform makes it possible to move one or more sets of coils ori the platform itself, so that the composition of the set, its binding and the unloading of the set from the supporting platform are sequentially performed in different working spots like in a chain process.

6. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the supporting unit is composed of at least a couple of supports, placed on a platform parallel to the axis of a coil and at such a distance that the coil is prevented from rolling.

7. System of which in the previous claim characterised by the fact that the aforesaid couple of supports is also composed of two parallel rollers (4)

8. System of which in the previous claim characterised by the fact that the aforesaid parallel rollers rotate and at the same time make a group of two or more adjoining and coaxial coils leaning against them rotate on itself.

9. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that one or both of the aforesaid parallel rollers are connected to an engine-driven system which sets one roller in motion, the other one being idle, or makes both the rollers rotate synchronously.

10. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the supporting unit is composed of a roller platform (3) with two or more couples of rollers (4 and 5) according to one or more of the claims from

8 to 10

11. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the length of the rollers is not less than the product of the height of a coil multiplied by the maximum number of coils that are joined together.

12. System to join two or more coils which are in a coaxial position characterised by the fact that it includes a handling robot (1), a roller platform (3) and one or more binding devices (7) according to one or more of the claims from 1 to 11

13. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that one or more binding devices make more than one diametral or toroidal binding and that between one binding and another the roller platform makes a group of two or more coils rotate of a set angle.

14. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that it includes several supporting units, according to the claims from 3 to 13, which work under a modular set-up in order to support larger groups of coils or more than one group.

15. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that a handling means is made up of one or more devices meant to, either in parallel or separately, hoist and move from and to the supporting unit the coils and/or sets of coils.

16. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that a handling means includes a crane or a tackle or a hoist or a bridge crane or a robot.

17. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that a handling means is completely or partially mechanical or hydraulic or pneumatic.

18. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the coils are tied by means of cordage, metal drawn wires, plastic drawn wires or a combination of two or more of such binding means.

19. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact mat a binding means used to tie the coils includes a joining device at one or both of its ends, such as a buckle, a hook, an eyelet, one or more pins, one or more buttons, one or more joint systems.

20. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the binder is made up of one or more devices performing one or more of the following operations:

• cutting of the binding means according to the proper length, • stable joining of the two ends of the binding means.

21. System of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that the two ends of the binding means are joined together by welding or knotting operations or by means of one or more joining devices such as a buckle, a hook, an eyelet, one or more pins or buttons, one or more joint systems.

22. Method to realize the system of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that it includes at least the following steps:

• loading of the coils on a supporting unit, by laying on it a section of the lateral surface of the coil and by setting at least two or more coils in an adj oining and coaxial position. • making of one or more radial and/or toroidal bindings on each set of two or more adjoining and coaxial coils

24. Method of which in the previous claim characterised by the fact that different radial and/or toroidal bindings which have been made on the same set are uniformly distributed on the lateral surface of the cylindrical volume of the set.

24. Method of which in one or more of the previous claims characterised by the fact that while the handling means place the coils on a working platform, the binding device ties another set of coils previously composed on the same working platform or on another one.