Band-saw blade changing device and method

1 . A device for at least one of mounting and dismounting a band-saw blade onto or from a band-saw, the band-saw blade having, when mounted on the band-saw, a closed contour and comprises two opposing narrow sides, at least one of which is provided with a plurality of saw teeth or a cutting material, and comprises two opposing flat sides interconnecting the narrow sides, one of the two opposing flat sides is an outwardly facing outer flat side and the other one is an inwardly facing inner flat side, the device comprising:

a support frame;

a support structure configured to support and move the support frame along at least two axes aligned transversely to each other one of which at least two axes being a horizontal axis; and

a plurality of retaining elements distributed on the support frame and configured to selectively attach to the outer flat side of the band-saw blade at various locations along the closed contour of the band-saw blade, thereby exerting an outwardly directed retaining force on the outer flat side of the band-saw blade;

wherein the support frame is suspended from the support structure and moves with respect to the support structure about the at least two axes;

wherein the support structure comprises a cantilever beam having a free end extendable along the horizontal axis;

wherein the support frame is mounted on the free end; and

wherein the support structure is configured to rotate the support frame about the horizontal axis.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is moveable relative to the band-saw.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a guide rail and a carriage longitudinally displaceable along the guide rail.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the retaining elements each are configured to adhere exclusively to the outer flat side of the band-saw blade.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the retaining elements each comprise at least one of a vacuum lifter, a suction cup, a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or a temporarily sticking retaining element.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises two opposing straight sections and at least one arcuate section interconnecting the two straight sections, wherein at least one retaining element of the plurality of retaining elements is disposed in each of the two straight sections and the arcuate section.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises two opposing straight sections and two opposing arcuate sections each connecting the two straight sections, wherein at least one retaining element of the plurality of retaining elements is disposed in each of the two straight sections and one of the two arcuate portions, and wherein no retaining element is disposed in the other of the two arcuate portions.

8 . The device of claim 1 , where the support frame is movable about three axes, which includes the two axes with respect to the support Structure and is positionable with respect to a band stand, which is configured for storing band-saw blades, in order to retain one the band-saw blade from the band stand and thereafter the support frame is movable about the three axes with respect to the support structure to the band saw for positioning the band-saw blade on the band saw.

9 . A device for mounting or dismounting a band-saw blade which, when mounted on a band-saw, has a closed contour and comprises two opposing narrow sides, at least one of which is provided with a plurality of saw teeth or a cutting material, and comprises two opposing flat sides interconnecting the narrow sides, one of the two opposing flat sides being an outwardly facing outer flat side and the other one being an inwardly facing inner flat side, the device comprising:

a movable support frame; and

a plurality of retaining elements distributed on the support frame and configured to temporarily adhere to the outer flat side of the band-saw blade at various locations along the closed contour of the band-saw blade, thereby exerting an outwardly directed retaining force on the outer flat side of the band-saw blade;

wherein the support frame is mounted on a free end of a cantilever beam extendable along a first axis; wherein an actuator for rotating the support frame about the first axis is provided in the cantilever beam; and wherein the cantilever beam is movable by an arm along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the retaining elements each are configured to adhere exclusively to the outer flat side of the band-saw blade.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the retaining elements each comprise at least one of a vacuum lifter, a suction cup, a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, and/or a temporarily sticking retaining element.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the support frame comprises two opposing straight sections and at least one arcuate section interconnecting the two straight sections, wherein at least one retaining element of the plurality of retaining elements is disposed in each of the two straight sections and the arcuate section.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the support frame comprises two opposing straight sections and two opposing arcuate sections each connecting the two straight sections, wherein at least one retaining element of the plurality of retaining elements is disposed in each of the two straight sections and one of the two arcuate portions, and wherein no retaining element is disposed in the other of the two arcuate portions.

14 . The device of claim 9 , further comprising a support structure configured to support and move the support frame along the first axis and the second axis, which are aligned transversely to each other.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the support structure is configured to move the support frame along three orthogonally aligned axes, which includes the first axis and the second axis.

16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the support structure comprises the cantilever beam extendable along one of the first axis and the second axis.

17 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the support structure is configured to rotate the support frame about one the first axis and the second axis.

18 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the support frame is suspended from the support structure.