JPH0763762B2 - Centering device for long objects - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centering device used for aligning the center of a long object received in a processing facility in the longitudinal direction with the center of the processing facility.

2. Description of the Related Art In a processing facility for marking a predetermined item on a tubular or rod-shaped elongated object, the end of the elongated object is aligned with a reference position as shown in FIG. Cradle 1
As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the steel pipe 2 as a long object [object to be centered] received on top is pushed by the aligning pusher 3 installed at one end, and the other end of the steel pipe 2 is used as a reference. When the arrival at the position S ₀ is detected, the pushing by the aligning pusher 3 is finished.

In such a device, if the length of the steel pipe 2 is exactly constant, the center L _{1 of the} steel pipe 2 can be made to coincide with the center L ₀ of the equipment by a pushing operation. When the two are matched, it is advantageous that the width of the transportation facility after that can be configured to the necessary minimum.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention When the length of the steel pipe 2 varies, the center L _{1 of the} steel pipe 2 cannot be aligned with the center L ₀ of the equipment by the pushing operation by the aligning pusher 3.

An object of the present invention is to provide a centering device capable of aligning the centers with the center of equipment even when the length of a long object varies.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS The centering device of the present invention includes first and second end detecting portions slidably supported in the horizontal direction in the length direction of the centered object, and the length direction of the centered object. A pair of rotating bodies that are spaced apart from each other, and an endless body that is stretched between the rotating bodies to form a pair of travel paths that move in the length direction of the centering object. End detecting section is connected to one traveling path of the pair of endless traveling paths, and the second end detecting section is the other traveling path of the pair of endless traveling paths. And driving the endless body in a direction in which the first and second end detecting portions approach each other,
It is characterized in that the object to be centered is sandwiched and centered by the first and second end detection portions.

Operation According to this configuration, when the endless body is driven in the direction in which the first and second end detecting portions approach each other, the first end connected to one traveling path of the pair of traveling paths of the endless body. Of the first end detecting unit and the second end detecting unit connected to the other traveling route, up to a position where the length-measuring object is clamped by the first end detecting unit and the second end detecting unit. Move the centering object.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

It should be noted that components having the same functions as those in FIG.

FIG. 1 shows the centering device of the present invention. The first end detecting portion 4a and the second end detecting portion 4b are engaged with guide shafts 6a and 6b mounted on a support frame 5 arranged in the length direction of the steel pipe 2 to be received as a centering object. Then, it is slidably supported in the horizontal direction along the support frame 5.

On the support frame 5, first and second sprocket wheels 7a and 7b as a pair of rotating bodies are provided. First,
A chain 8 as an endless body is stretched between the second sprocket wheels 7a and 7b.

The chain 8 constitutes a pair of travel routes 8a and 8b that move in the length direction of the support frame 5.

The upper end of the first end detection unit 4a is connected to the travel route 8b, and is connected to the travel route 8a of the second end detection unit 4b.

The air cylinder 11 includes the support frame 5 and the second end detection unit.
It is interposed between 4b.

The first and second edge detecting portions 4a and 4b are configured as shown in FIG.

The contacting part 12 to the steel pipe 2 is slidable in the length direction of the steel pipe 2 with respect to the main body 13, and the compression spring 14 interposed between the main body 13 and the contacting part 12 causes the inside [direction of arrow A] Is urged by. A piece of metal sensitive type proximity sensor 15 supported by the main body 13 is provided at the rear end side of the contact portion 12, and the contact portion 12 has a spring 14 at the rear end thereof.
A metal plate 16 is attached so as to cross the front position of the proximity sensor 15 when pushed in against the bias of the.

Due to this structure, the rod 17 of the air cylinder 11
Is retracted in the direction of arrow B, the first sprocket wheel 7a rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the second sprocket wheel 7a
7b rotates in the direction of arrow D.

As a result, the end detecting unit 4a connected to the one traveling route 8b moves inward, the end detecting unit 4b connected to the other traveling route 8a also moves inward, and the end detecting unit 4a. , 4b
Approach each other.

The steel pipe 2 is moved to a position where it is clamped by the end detecting portions 4a and 4b, and the position is corrected. When the end detecting portions 4a, 4b come into contact with the steel pipe 2, the abutting portion 12 is retracted as shown in FIG. 3 against the bias of the spring 14, and the metal plate 16 is positioned in front of the proximity sensor 15. Cross. In the state where the end detecting portions 4a and 4b sandwich the steel pipe 2, any metal plate 16 is detected by the respective proximity sensors 15 and 15, and the processing device 18 at this time determines that "centering is completed" and the air cylinder 11 The rod 17 is extended to separate the end detecting portions 4a and 4b from each other.

In the above embodiment, the contact portions 12 of the end detecting portions 4a and 4b are configured to be slidable in the length direction of the steel pipe 2 and biased inward, so that the center of the received steel pipe 2 and the end detecting portion 4a. ,Four
Even if the central position of b is deviated from the center of the equipment, the end detecting portions 4a and 4b can surely catch the pipe end of the steel pipe 2 and perform centering.

If the object to be centered is lightweight, the edge detector 4
It is possible to perform centering without providing the abutting portion 12 of a and 4b with the above-mentioned special structure.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, the first and second end detecting portions that are horizontally slidably supported in the longitudinal direction of the centered object and the longitudinal direction of the centered object in the longitudinal direction. A pair of rotating bodies that are arranged apart from each other and an endless body that is stretched between the rotating bodies and forms a pair of traveling paths that move in the length direction of the centering object are provided. The end detection unit is connected to one traveling route of the pair of traveling routes of the endless body, and the second end detection unit is connected to the other traveling route of the pair of traveling routes of the endless body. And driving the endless body in a direction in which the first and second end detecting portions approach each other,
Since the centered object is sandwiched and centered by the first and second end detection units, the two end detection units are moved by a single power source to move the centered object, and the centered object is moved. The center can be aligned with the center of the equipment.

Further, the contacting portion of the first and second end detecting portions with respect to the object to be measured is configured to be slidable in the length direction of the object to be measured and biased inward, and the contacting portion has the above-mentioned contacting portion. The first and second detectors for detecting the outward movement against the force are provided.
If the processing device is configured to determine "centering completed" when it is detected that both the detectors have moved outward, centering can be performed correctly even if the object to be centered is a heavy object.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a centering device of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams of a state before and after an end detection part of the device comes into contact with an end part of a centering object. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional alignment device. 2 ... Steel pipe [centered object], 4a, 4b ... Edge detection part [first and second end detection part], 7a, 7b ... First and second sprocket wheel, 8 ... Chain (Endless body), 8a, 8b
...... Pair of travel routes, 11 …… Air cylinder, 12 …… Abutment part, 14 …… Compression spring, 15 …… Proximity sensor, 16 …… Metal plate, 18 …… Processor, L ₀ …… Equipment Center, L ₁ …… Center of steel pipe.

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A first and a second end detecting portion which are slidably supported in the lengthwise direction of a centering object, and a pair which are arranged apart from each other in the lengthwise direction of the centering object. The rotating body and an endless body that is stretched between the rotating bodies to form a pair of traveling paths that move in the length direction of the centered object, and the first end detecting unit is an endless body. Connected to one of the pair of travel paths, and the second end detection unit is connected to the other travel path of the pair of endless travel paths, A centering device that drives the endless body in a direction in which the end detection units of the two approach each other to sandwich and center the object to be centered by the first and second end detection units. 2. A contacting portion of the first and second end detecting portions with respect to the centering object is slidably biased inside in the length direction of the centering object, and the contacting portion has the above-mentioned attachment. Providing first and second detectors that detect outward movement against the force, and determining that centering is complete when both the first and second detectors detect outward movement The centering device according to claim 1, further comprising a device.