Method and device for continuously producing a mesh-type support

Abstract

Method for continuously producing a mesh-type support by welding a lower member arrangement, which comprises at least one lower member, in particular two lower members, and an upper member, which is arranged at a specific height in relation to the lower member arrangement, and has at least one diagonal member running back and forth between the at least one lower member and the upper member, in particular in a zigzagging form, wherein the welding of the at least one lower member and the upper member to the at least one diagonal member is performed by means of a lower-member welding device and an upper-member welding device, wherein the height of the upper member in relation to the lower member arrangement is changed during the continuous production of the mesh-type support. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.

1 . A method of continuously producing a lattice girder by welding a lower chord arrangement which includes at least one lower chord, in particular two lower chords, and an upper chord which is arranged at a specific height in relation to the lower chord arrangement to at least one diagonal member which extends back and forth between the at least one lower chord and the upper chord, in particular in a zig-zag form, wherein welding of the at least one lower chord and the upper chord to the at least one diagonal member is effected by means of a lower chord welding device and an upper chord welding device, characterised in that the height of the upper chord relative to the lower chord arrangement is changed during the continuous production of the lattice girder. 
     
     
         2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the upper chord is cut prior to a change in its height relative to the lower chord arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the angle position of the lower chord welding device is changed in the course of the change in the height of the upper chord relative to the lower chord arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . A method as set forth in one of  claim 1  characterised in that the height and/or the angle position of the upper chord welding device is changed in the course of the change in the height of the upper chord relative to the lower chord arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the upper chord and/or the at least one lower chord is fed stepwise to the upper chord welding device and the lower chord welding device respectively. 
     
     
         6 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the upper chord is centered before it is fed to the upper chord welding device. 
     
     
         7 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the at least one lower chord and/or the upper chord and/or the at least one diagonal member is firstly unwound from drums before the welding operation to form a lattice girder and is then deformed in a predetermined fashion. 
     
     
         8 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  characterised in that the lattice girder is separated at predetermined cutting positions from the continuously produced line of material. 
     
     
         9 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  characterised in that the lattice girder is then fed to at least one storage location. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus for continuously producing a lattice girder comprising a lower chord arrangement which includes at least one lower chord, in particular two lower chords, an upper chord arranged at a specific height relative to the lower chord arrangement and at least one diagonal member which extends back and forth between the at least one lower chord and the upper chord, in particular in a zig-zag form, wherein the at least one lower chord and the upper chord are welded to the at least one diagonal member and the apparatus for that welding operation includes a lower chord welding device and an upper chord welding device, characterised in that the apparatus further includes a device for height adjustment of the upper chord during the continuous production of the lattice girder. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the device for height adjustment of the upper chord involves a height-adjustable carrier on which is arranged a holding device for the upper chord. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 11  characterised in that the holding device includes a gripper for releasably fixing the upper chord. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus further includes a cutting device for cutting the upper chord. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the device for height adjustment of the upper chord involves a height-adjustable carrier, characterised in that the cutting device is arranged on the height-adjustable carrier. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus further includes a device for adjusting the angle position of the lower chord welding device. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus further includes a device for adjusting the height and/or the angle position of the upper chord welding device. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus further includes an advance device for stepwise feed of the upper chord and/or the at least one lower chord to the upper chord welding device and the lower chord welding device respectively. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 17  characterised in that the advance device is arranged on a linear carriage. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 17  characterised in that the advance device is movable by way of an eccentric lever. 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 17  characterised in that the advance device includes a gripper for releasably fixing the upper chord and/or a gripper for releasably fixing the at least one lower chord. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the device for height adjustment of the upper chord involves a height-adjustable carrier, characterised in that the advance device is arranged on the height-adjustable carrier. 
     
     
         22 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus further includes a centering device for the upper chord. 
     
     
         23 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 22  characterised in that the centering device has a gripper for releasably fixing the upper chord. 
     
     
         24 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 22  wherein the device for height adjustment of the upper chord involves a height-adjustable carrier, characterised in that the centering device is arranged on the height-adjustable carrier. 
     
     
         25 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus includes an unwinding device for drums on which the at least one lower chord and/or the upper chord and/or the at least one diagonal member are wound. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 25  characterised in that the apparatus further includes a straightening machine for the at least one lower chord and/or the upper chord and/or a bending machine for the at least one diagonal member. 
     
     
         27 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus includes a separating device for separating the lattice girder from the continuously produced line of material. 
     
     
         28 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  characterised in that the apparatus includes at least one storage location for storage of the lattice girder. 
     
     
         29 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 28  characterised in that the apparatus includes a robot device for transporting the lattice girder to the storage location.