Grinding unit for cutting machine and machine comprising said unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344994-B2
Application number	US-201816630577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Jul 18, 2017
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

The grinding unit includes at least one grinding wheel adapted to rotate around a respective rotation axis, and a thrust actuator adapted to push the grinding wheel against a cutting edge of a disc-shaped cutting blade. A load cell is also provided for detecting an axial thrust exerted on the grinding wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A grinding unit for grinding a disc-shaped cutting blade, comprising:
at least one grinding wheel adapted to rotate around a respective rotation axis;
a thrust actuator adapted to push the at least one grinding wheel against a cutting edge of the disc-shaped cutting blade;
a load cell for detecting an axial thrust exerted on the at least one grinding wheel;
a pre-load member for pre-loading the load cell.

2. The grinding unit of claim 1 , wherein the pre-load member comprises an actuator adapted to move the at least one grinding wheel parallel to the respective rotation axis and to bring the at least one grinding wheel, into an operative position or an idle position.

3. The grinding unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one grinding wheel is integral to a rotation shaft; the pre-load member is adapted to apply a thrust to the rotation shaft in a direction of the respective rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel; and the rotation shaft co-acts with the load cell so that the load cell is adapted to detect an axial constraint reaction force parallel to the respective rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel.

4. The grinding unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one grinding wheel is supported by a rotation shaft that is rotatingly supported in a sleeve; the pre-load member is adapted to apply a thrust to the sleeve in an axial direction, parallel to the respective rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel; the sleeve co-acts with the load cell, which is adapted to detect a constraint reaction force exerted on the sleeve.

5. The grinding unit of claim 4 , wherein the sleeve is housed in a casing on which the pre-load member is mounted; the load cell is integral to the casing; and the sleeve is adapted to apply a thrust on the load cell under action of the pre-load member.

6. The grinding unit of claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is mounted in the casing so as to slide with respect to the casing in a direction parallel to the respective rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel.

7. The grinding unit of claim 5 , wherein the load cell comprises an elongated element, with two ends constrained to the casing and extending transversally to the sleeve.

8. The grinding unit of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve has two opposite openings, through which the elongated element extends, the openings having such a dimension as to allow the sleeve to translate with respect to the casing in a direction parallel to the respective rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel.

9. The grinding unit of claim 1 , comprising two grinding wheels so arranged as to act on opposite flanks of a cutting edge of the disc-shaped cutting blade.

10. The grinding unit of claim 1 , further comprising a slide, on which said at least one grinding wheel is supported; and wherein the slide is associated with said thrust actuator, which is configured to move the slide in a radial direction with respect to a rotation axis of the disc-shaped cutting blade.

11. A machine for cutting elongated products, comprising:
a disc-shaped cutting blade provided with a rotation movement around a rotation axis of the disc-shaped cutting blade and provided with a cyclic cutting movement;
a feed path for products to be cut;
feed members for feeding the products to be cut along the feed path;
a grinding unit including at least one grinding wheel adapted to rotate around a respective rotation axis; a thrust actuator adapted to push the at least one grinding wheel against a cutting edge of the disc-shaped cutting blade; a load cell for detecting an axial thrust exerted on the at least one grinding wheel; a pre-load member for pre-loading the load cell.

12. A method for grinding a rotating disc-shaped cutting blade having a cutting edge, the method comprising steps of:
pushing at least one grinding wheel against a flank of the cutting edge;
applying a pre-load to a load cell provided for detecting a thrust exerted on the flank of the cutting edge by the at least one grinding wheel;
detecting, with aid of the load cell following the applying of the pre-load, thrust exerted on the flank of the cutting edge by the grinding wheel.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one grinding wheel is supported idle and is driven into rotation by friction between the at least one grinding wheel and the disc-shaped cutting blade.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising controlling a thrust actuator based on the thrust detected by the load cell.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting any operating fault of the grinding unit based on the thrust detected by the load cell.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising automatically changing the disc-shaped cutting blade based upon the thrust detected by the load cell.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
moving the at least one grinding wheel towards the cutting edge of the disc-shaped cutting blade;
defining a zero position of the at least one grinding wheel in correspondence of a set thrust value detected by the load cell.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
supporting the at least one grinding wheel in a sleeve housed in a casing so as to slide in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the at least one grinding wheel;
pre-loading the load cell by applying an axial thrust on the sleeve;
pushing the at least one grinding wheel into contact with the disc-shaped cutting blade by a thrust actuator;
detecting a force applied by the sleeve on the load cell, said load cell being integral to the casing.

Assignees

• Perini Fabio Spa

Inventors

• Chiocchetti Mario Gioni
• Maddaleni Romano

Classifications

• B24B3/46 Primary

  of disc blades · CPC title

• B26D1/16

  mounted on a movable arm or the like · CPC title

• B26D7/12 Primary

  by sharpening the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D2007/013

  the work being tubes, rods or logs · CPC title

• B24B49/16 Primary

  taking regard of the load · CPC title