Isothermal forging system

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for isothermally forging metal semifinished products close to the final contours within a vacuum and/or a protective gas atmosphere, comprising at least one forging press ( 1 ) which comprises at least one press ram ( 4 ) that extends into a vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ), at least one upper tool ( 5 ), and at least one lower tool ( 6 ); at least one workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ) which is connected to the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ) in a gas-tight manner; and a plurality of lock chambers ( 11, 12 ) for preparing and/or heating and/or cooling workpieces, said lock chambers being connected to the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ) in a gas-tight manner, wherein at least the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ) has at least one round cross-sectional contour.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A system for isothermally forging metal semi-finished products close to final contours within a vacuum and/or protective gas atmosphere, comprising:
 a forging press ( 1 ), including
 a press ram ( 4 ) that extends into 
 a vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ), the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ) having a round cross-sectional contour; 
   an upper tool ( 5 );   a lower tool ( 6 );   a workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ), the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ) being connected to the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ) in a gas-tight manner;   a plurality of lock chambers ( 11 ,  12 ) for preparing and/or heating and/or cooling workpieces, the lock chambers being connected to the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ) in a gas-tight manner; and   a tool changing chamber ( 10 ) that is attached to the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ).   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ) is a substantially cylindrical chamber with round feedthroughs and ports.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ) and the lock chambers ( 11 ,  12 ) have round cross-sections.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ), the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ), and the lock chambers ( 11 ,  12 ) are connected to one another in a gas-tight manner via round feedthroughs.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the tool changing chamber ( 10 ) is a tube-shaped component having a round cross-section.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein further lock chambers ( 12 ) are attached to the tool changing chamber ( 10 ) via vacuum gate valves ( 23 ).   
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the vacuum gate valves ( 23 ) have round slide plates ( 24 ).   
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 further comprising a plurality of vacuum pumps ( 13 ),   the vacuum pumps ( 13 ) being arranged below a shop floor ( 14 ) in a system sub-floor ( 15 ).   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 a vacuum pump ( 13 ) arranged below the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ), and   a further vacuum pump ( 13 ) arranged below the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ).   
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein at least one vacuum pump ( 13 ) each is arranged below the vacuum forging chamber ( 3 ), below the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ), and below the tool changing chamber ( 10 ).   
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ), the lock chambers ( 11 ,  12 ), and the tool changing chamber ( 10 ) are joined together as tube-shaped components in a modular design.   
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein at least some of the lock chambers ( 11 ,  12 ) have a heating device ( 19 ) for heating workpieces or a tool.   
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 a horizontally movable manipulator ( 16 ) for handling workpieces arranged in the workpiece changing chamber ( 9 ).