Saw device and method for sawing a workpiece

Abstract

In order to improve a saw device with a feed axis for a workpiece to be sawed, with a first saw unit to saw the workpiece in a first sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis and with a second saw unit to saw the workpiece in a second sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis, with a central device region arranged between the sawing planes, with a front device region arranged in front of the first sawing plane, viewed in a feed direction, and with a rear device region arranged behind the second sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, in such a way that as high a cutting efficiency as possible can be achieved, it is proposed that the saw device comprises at least two transport mechanisms arranged in different device regions to transport different workpiece portions along the feed axis.

1 - 55 . (canceled) 
   
   
       56 . Saw device, comprising:
 a feed axis for a workpiece to be sawed;   a first saw unit to saw the workpiece in a first sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis;   a second saw unit to saw the workpiece in a second sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis;   a central device region arranged between the sawing planes;   a front device region arranged in front of the first sawing plane, viewed in a feed direction;   a rear device region arranged behind the second sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction; and   at least two transport mechanisms arranged in different device regions for transporting different workpiece portions along the feed axis.   
   
   
       57 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the first sawing plane and the second sawing plane is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the feed axis. 
   
   
       58 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein the feed axis extends in a horizontal direction in relation to the direction of gravity. 
   
   
       59 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the first sawing plane and the second sawing plane extends in a vertical direction in relation to the direction of gravity. 
   
   
       60 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein the spacing between the first sawing plane and the second sawing plane is adjustable. 
   
   
       61 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein the first saw unit is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis. 
   
   
       62 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a first saw unit drive for a movement of the first saw unit in a direction parallel to the feed axis is provided. 
   
   
       63 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a first guide mechanism to guide a movement of the first saw unit is provided. 
   
   
       64 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein the second saw unit is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis. 
   
   
       65 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a second saw unit drive for a movement of the second saw unit in a direction parallel to the feed axis is provided. 
   
   
       66 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a second guide mechanism to guide a movement of the second saw unit is provided. 
   
   
       67 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein the first saw unit is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis and in that the second saw unit is fixed relative to the feed axis. 
   
   
       68 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a first transport mechanism arranged in the front device region is provided. 
   
   
       69 . Saw device according to  claim 68 , wherein the first transport mechanism is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis. 
   
   
       70 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a first transport mechanism drive for a movement of the first transport mechanism in a direction parallel to the feed axis is provided. 
   
   
       71 . Saw device according to  claim 68 , wherein a first transport mechanism guide to guide a movement of the first transport mechanism is provided. 
   
   
       72 . Saw device according to  claim 68 , wherein the first transport mechanism and the first saw unit, viewed along the feed axis, are arrangeable in a relative position, in which the first transport mechanism and the first saw unit overlap at least in portions. 
   
   
       73 . Saw device according to  claim 68 , wherein the first saw unit delimits a free space which extends transversely to the feed axis and in which at least a portion of the first transport mechanism can be disposed. 
   
   
       74 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a second transport mechanism arranged in the central device region is provided. 
   
   
       75 . Saw device according to  claim 74 , wherein the second transport mechanism is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis. 
   
   
       76 . Saw device according to  claim 74 , wherein a second transport mechanism drive for a movement of the second transport mechanism in a direction parallel to the feed axis is provided. 
   
   
       77 . Saw device according to  claim 74 , wherein a second transport mechanism guide to guide a movement of the second transport mechanism is provided. 
   
   
       78 . Saw device according to  claim 74 , wherein at least one of (i) the second transport mechanism and the first saw unit and (ii) the second transport mechanism and the second saw unit, viewed along the feed axis, are arrangeable in a relative position, in which at least one of (i) the second transport mechanism and the first saw unit and (ii) the second transport mechanism and the second saw unit overlap, at least in portions. 
   
   
       79 . Saw device according to  claim 74 , wherein the first saw unit delimits a free space extending transversely to the feed axis and/or the second saw unit delimits a free space extending transversely to the feed axis, in which space or spaces at least a portion of the second transport mechanism can be disposed. 
   
   
       80 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a third transport mechanism arranged in the rear device region is provided. 
   
   
       81 . Saw device according to  claim 80 , wherein the third transport mechanism is moveable in a direction parallel to the feed axis. 
   
   
       82 . Saw device according to  claim 80 , wherein a third transport mechanism drive for a movement of the third transport mechanism in a direction parallel to the feed axis is provided. 
   
   
       83 . Saw device according to  claim 80 , wherein a third transport mechanism guide to guide a movement of the third transport mechanism is provided. 
   
   
       84 . Saw device according to  claim 80 , wherein the third transport mechanism and the second saw unit, viewed along the feed axis, are arrangeable in a relative position, in which the third transport mechanism and the second saw unit overlap, at least in portions. 
   
   
       85 . Saw device according to  claim 80 , wherein the second saw unit delimits a free space which extends transversely to the feed axis and in which at least one portion of the third transport mechanism is disposable. 
   
   
       86 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a guide mechanism to guide a movement of the first saw unit and to guide a movement of the second saw unit is provided. 
   
   
       87 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a transport mechanism guide to guide a movement of the at least two transport mechanisms is provided. 
   
   
       88 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a guide mechanism to guide a movement of at least one saw unit and a transport mechanism guide to guide a movement of at least one transport mechanism are provided, the guide mechanism and the transport mechanism guide being arranged offset with respect to one another in such a way that they are at different spacings from the feed axis. 
   
   
       89 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the first saw unit and the second saw unit is configured to saw metallic materials. 
   
   
       90 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the first saw unit and the second saw unit is a band saw unit. 
   
   
       91 . Saw device according to  claim 90 , wherein the band saw unit comprises a saw frame. 
   
   
       92 . Saw device according to  claim 91 , wherein the saw frame is moveable in a vertical direction in relation to the direction of gravity. 
   
   
       93 . Saw device according to  claim 90 , wherein the band saw unit comprises a saw band guide mechanism. 
   
   
       94 . Saw device according to  claim 93 , wherein the saw band guide mechanism of a saw unit extends in a plane, which extends at an angle to the sawing plane associated with this saw unit. 
   
   
       95 . Saw device according to  claim 90 , wherein a saw band guide mechanism of the first saw unit and a saw band guide mechanism of the second saw unit are arranged on sides of the saw units remote from one another. 
   
   
       96 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a machine frame, on which at least one of the first saw unit and the second unit saw unit is disposed, is provided. 
   
   
       97 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a control mechanism to coordinate the movement of at least one saw unit and at least one transport mechanism is provided. 
   
   
       98 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein at least one of a sawing tool of the first saw unit and a sawing tool of the second saw unit is adapted to be freed on completion of a sawing process. 
   
   
       99 . Saw device according to  claim 56 , wherein a workpiece is adapted to be sawed simultaneously with the first saw unit and the second saw unit. 
   
   
       100 . Method for sawing a workpiece, comprising:
 positioning a workpiece relative to a saw device;   moving the workpiece in a feed direction along a feed axis of the saw device, so that the workpiece passes through a first sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis and a second sawing plane extending transversely to the feed axis;   dividing the workpiece into three workpiece portions;   transferring a first saw unit associated with the first sawing plane and a second saw unit associated with the second sawing plane in each case from a rest position, in which the saw units are disengaged from the workpiece, into a working position, in which the saw units are engaged with the workpiece;   moving at least two of the three workpiece portions independently of one another along the feed axis; and   moving at least one of the first saw unit and the second saw unit in the direction parallel to the feed axis, before transferring   at least one of the saw units from its working position into its rest position.   
   
   
       101 . Method according to  claim 100 , wherein to position the workpiece relative to the saw device, the workpiece is moved by twice a spacing between the first sawing plane and the second sawing plane along the feed axis. 
   
   
       102 . Method according to  claim 100 , wherein a first workpiece portion arranged in front of the first sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, is moved by a first return stroke amount in the direction opposing the feed direction. 
   
   
       103 . Method according to  claim 102 , wherein the first saw unit is moved in the direction opposing the feed direction by a second return stroke amount, which is smaller than the first return stroke amount. 
   
   
       104 . Method according to  claim 103 , wherein a second workpiece portion arranged between the sawing planes is moved in the direction opposing the feed direction by a third return stroke amount, which is smaller than the second return stroke amount. 
   
   
       105 . Method according to  claim 100 , wherein a third workpiece portion arranged behind the second sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, is moved in the feed direction by a forward stroke amount. 
   
   
       106 . Method according to  claim 105 , wherein the second saw unit is moved in the feed direction by a second forward stroke amount, which is smaller than a first forward stroke amount, by which the third workpiece portion is moved. 
   
   
       107 . Method according to  claim 106 , wherein a second workpiece portion arranged between the sawing planes is moved in the feed direction by a third forward stroke amount, which is smaller than the second forward stroke amount. 
   
   
       108 . Method according to  claim 100 , wherein a first workpiece portion arranged in front of the first sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, is moved by a return stroke amount in the direction opposing the feed direction. 
   
   
       109 . Method according to  claim 100 , wherein following a transfer of the first saw unit and the second saw unit into their rest positions, the workpiece portions are moved in the feed direction, in that a first workpiece portion arranged in front of the first sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, is moved in the feed direction and directly drives a second workpiece portion arranged between the sawing planes and drives a third workpiece portion arranged behind the second sawing plane, viewed in the feed direction, by means of the second workpiece portion.