Metal fiber manufacturing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076782-B2
Application number	US-201415327458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2014
Priority date	Jul 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a metal fiber manufacturing system. The system casts molten metal as a metal fiber; collects the metal fiber in real time; transfers the metal fiber; separates normal products from defective products; and packages a predetermined amount of the normal product metal fiber. The system processes the cast metal fiber continuously or in batches, and manufactures the same, thereby having effects of improving the efficiency of the production process and obtaining significant economic benefits.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A metal fiber manufacturing system comprising:
a casting device configured to cast molten metal as metal fiber by ejecting the molten metal through a nozzle onto a cooling wheel rotating at a high speed;
a collection and separation device configured to collect the metal fiber and separate defective and normal products of the metal fiber from each other; and
a cutting device configured to cut the metal fiber,
wherein the cutting device comprises:
a perforated drum having a cylindrical shape and comprising a plurality of penetration holes formed in a round sidewall to cut the metal fiber using the plurality of penetration holes;
a driving unit connected to the perforated drum to rotate the perforated drum; and
a cover enclosing at least a portion of the perforated drum and collecting the metal fiber cut and discharged via the plurality of penetration holes.

2. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the collection and separation device comprises:
a guide chute connected to the casting device, the guide chute comprising an inlet to introduce the metal fiber therethrough and a first outlet and a second outlet to discharge the metal fiber therethrough; and
a variable discharge part provided on a side of the guide chute to vary a discharge position of the metal fiber introduced through the inlet so as to discharge the metal fiber through the first outlet or the second outlet.

3. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 2 , wherein the variable discharge part comprises:
a blocking member rotatably provided on the side of the guide chute so as to open the first outlet or close the first outlet while being connected to the second outlet; and
a first driving unit configured to rotate the blocking member in response to introduction of the metal fiber.

4. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 2 , further comprising a control module provided on a side of the guide chute to determine a type of the metal fiber when the metal fiber is introduced through the inlet and control the variable discharge part,
wherein the control module comprises:
an optical module configured to capture images of the metal fiber when the metal fiber is introduced through the inlet; and
a control unit configured to determine the type of the metal fiber using the images captured by the optical module and generate an operation control signal for the variable discharge part according to the determined type of the metal fiber.

5. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 2 , further comprising a discharge angle adjustment unit provided on the guide chute to adjust a falling angle of the metal fiber,
wherein the discharge angle adjustment unit comprises:
a damping member rotatably provided on a side of the guide chute and configured to make contact with the metal fiber when the metal fiber is discharged through the first outlet; and
a second driving unit configured to adjust a rotation angle of the damping member.

6. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device connected to the collection and separation device to store the metal fiber; and
a discharge device configured to discharge the metal fiber from the storage device.

7. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 6 , wherein the discharge device comprises:
a scraper driving unit comprising a first driving unit and a scraper support shaft connected to the first driving unit; and
a scraper coupled to the scraper support shaft and configured to receive driving power from the first driving unit so as to discharge the metal fiber by raking heaped strands of the metal fiber from an upper side.

8. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the first driving unit comprises a first motor,
an end of the scraper support shaft is perpendicularly connected to a rotation shaft of the first motor, and an other end of the scraper support shaft is bent and rotatably coupled to the scraper.

9. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 8 , wherein the scraper is rotated while being maintained in a horizontal position.

10. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the discharge device is provided above a storage container containing the strands of the metal fiber,
wherein the storage container comprises:
an upright wall member defining a space for accommodating the metal fiber;
a base plate member placed inside the upright wall member; and
a second driving unit connected to the base plate member to lift or lower the base plate member along upright the wall member.

11. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein a side of the upright wall member is lower than other sides of the upright wall member.

12. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 7 , further comprising a scraper moving unit configured to move the scraper driving unit and the scraper,
wherein the scraper moving unit comprises:
a pair of guide rails;
a cart configured to move along the guide rails; and
a third driving unit connected to the cart to reciprocate the cart,
wherein the scraper driving unit is attached to the cart.

13. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the plurality of penetration holes is 0.5 times to 2 times a length of strands of cut metal fiber.

14. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the perforated drum further comprises an inlet in a side thereof,
an end of a tube is connected to the inlet,
an other end of the tube is connected to an air blowing device, and the metal fiber is introduced into the perforated drum using air.

15. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a packing device configured to pack the metal fiber in predetermined amounts.

16. A metal fiber manufacturing system comprising:
a casting device configured to cast molten metal as metal fiber by ejecting the molten metal through a nozzle onto a cooling wheel rotating at a high speed;
a collecting device comprising at least one barrier wall to collect the metal fiber;
a transfer and separation device configured to separate defective and normal products of the metal fiber from each other while transferring the metal fiber; and
a cutting device configured to cut the metal fiber,
wherein the cutting device comprises:
a perforated drum having a cylindrical shape and comprising a plurality of penetration holes formed in a round sidewall to cut the metal fiber using the plurality of penetration holes;
a driving unit connected to the perforated drum to rotate the perforated drum; and
a cover enclosing at least a portion of the perforated drum and collecting the metal fiber cut and discharged via the plurality of penetration holes.

17. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 16 , wherein the transfer and separation device comprises a transfer module operable in forward and reverse directions.

18. The metal fiber manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein the transfer module is operated in the reverse direction for a set period of time in an early stage and in a final stage of casting.

Assignees

• Posco

Inventors

• Cho Un-Kwan
• Kim Goo-Hwa
• Jang Chul-Sung
• Kim Byung-Il

Classifications

• B02C23/08

  Separating or sorting of material, associated with crushing or disintegrating (B02C23/18 takes precedence {; beater mills combined with sifting devices B02C13/13, B02C13/14; for tumbling mills B02C17/1835}) · CPC title

• B22D11/06

  into moulds with travelling walls, e.g. with rolls, plates, belts, caterpillars · CPC title

• B65B57/10

  responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged · CPC title

• B22D11/00 Primary

  Continuous casting of metals, i.e. casting in indefinite lengths (metal drawing, metal extruding B21C) · CPC title

• B21F23/00

  Feeding wire in wire-working machines or apparatus · CPC title