Apparatus and method for bending oblong metal products

Abstract

Apparatus ( 10 ) for bending oblong metal products ( 100 ) comprising a movement device ( 17 ) of said products ( 100 ) and a first bending unit ( 18 ) configured to bend one or more of said products ( 100 ) at a time on a same first bending plane (P 1 ).

1 : Apparatus ( 10 ) for bending oblong metal products ( 100 ) comprising a movement device ( 17 ) able to move said products ( 100 ) along a feed axis (X) and a first bending unit ( 18 ) provided with one or more first bending devices ( 20 ), distinct from each other, configured to bend one or more of said products ( 100 ) at a time on a same first bending plane (P 1 ) with different bending radii, characterized in that it comprises at least one distinct second bending unit ( 19 ) disposed upstream of said first bending unit ( 18 ), said second bending unit ( 19 ) being provided with one or more second bending devices ( 21 ), distinct from each other, configured to bend said products ( 100 ) on a same second bending plane (P 2 ), inclined with respect to said first bending plane (P 1 ), with different bending radii. 
     
     
         2 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that said first bending plane (P 1 ) is horizontal and orthogonal with respect to said second bending plane (P 2 ). 
     
     
         3 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that at least said second bending unit ( 19 ) is configured to be orientable with respect to said first bending unit ( 18 ) in order to adjust the inclination of said second bending plane (P 2 ) with respect to said first bending plane (P 1 ), both when the machine is stopped and also on the fly. 
     
     
         4 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that said first and second bending units ( 18 ,  19 ) are provided respectively with a first and a second support plate ( 30 ,  31 ), which define said first and second bending planes (P 1 , P 2 ) on which said first and second bending devices ( 20 ,  21 ) are installed in a fixed way, said first and second support plates ( 30 ,  31 ) being movable respectively in a first and a second direction of adjustment (T 1 , T 2 ) which are inclined with respect to each other and orthogonal to said feed axis (X) in order to align respectively one of said first and second bending devices ( 20 ,  21 ) with said feed axis (X). 
     
     
         5 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 4 , characterized in that it comprises a fixed support plane ( 12 ) disposed horizontal and having two opposite and parallel leading edges ( 15 ,  16 ), said first support plate ( 30 ) being coplanar to said support plane ( 12 ) and installed in an aperture ( 32 ) made on the latter, said second support plate ( 31 ) being orthogonal to said support plane ( 12 ) and installed externally with respect to the perimeter thereof, in correspondence with one of said leading edges ( 15 ,  16 ). 
     
     
         6 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that said first and second bending units ( 18 ,  19 ) are provided with respective holding devices ( 35 ,  36 ) disposed upstream and/or downstream of said first and second bending devices ( 20 ,  21 ) and retractably mobile in order to temporarily hold said one or more products ( 100 ) during the execution of the bends. 
     
     
         7 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that it also comprises a third bending unit ( 22 ) similar to the first two, disposed downstream of said first bending unit ( 18 ) and inclined with respect to the latter in order to bend said one or more oblong metal products ( 100 ) on a third bending plane (P 3 ) angled with respect to said first bending plane (P 1 ). 
     
     
         8 : Apparatus ( 10 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a fixed guide member ( 37 ) with which said movement device ( 17 ) is slidingly associated in order to take said one or more products ( 100 ) from a bar loading zone (LZ) at least toward said first and second bending units ( 18 ,  19 ), said movement device ( 17 ) comprising an arm ( 39 ) sliding on said guide member ( 37 ) which is in turn terminally provided with a gripping head ( 40 ) configured to temporarily hold said one or more oblong metal products ( 100 ). 
     
     
         9 : Method to bend oblong metal products ( 100 ) comprising a movement step, in which a movement device ( 17 ) moves one or more of said products ( 100 ) at a time forward or backward along a feed axis (X), and a first bending step, in which a first bending unit ( 18 ) performs one or more bends by means of one or more first bending devices ( 20 ), distinct from each other, on a same first bending plane (P 1 ) with different bending radii, characterized in that it also comprises at least a second bending step, in which a second bending unit ( 19 ) performs one or more bends by means of one or more second bending devices ( 21 ), distinct from each other, on a same second bending plane (P 2 ), inclined with respect to said first bending plane (P 1 ) with different bending radii.