EP0039648A1 - Accumulator for strip material of the horizontal type - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for forming an accumulation or reserve loop intended to equip a strip material processing line. The upper separating rollers (8, 9, 10) are stored on the storage trolley (1) and are successively placed on the frame using automatic devices (14) for laying and removing.

Description

The present invention relates to. a device for forming an accumulation or reserve loop intended to equip a line for processing strip material.

In most continuously operating tape processing lines, the line input and line output sections are separated from the central section, where processing is carried out, by tape accumulators. These accumulators are intended to store the strip so as to allow the section where the processing takes place to operate at a constant speed of travel of the strip; this, even when the "input" and "output" sections interrupt their operation for changing the coils.

Among the different types of tape accumulators, the one of interest to the invention is the horizontal type accumulator; in this accumulator, at least one long loop is formed using a looping carriage. In the lower part of the loop, the strip is supported by fixed rollers while, in its upper part, the strip is supported by separating rollers. Such an accumulator is for example described in the French patent published under No. 2.139.Q01.

• - le premier type de montage repose sur l'utilisation de chariots qui roulent sur les mêmes rails que ceux du chariot de bouclage et supportent chacun un rouleau. Lorsque la boucle se forme, le chariot de bouclage entraine le premier chariot support de rouleaux auquel il est lié par une chaine ; ce premier chariot est lui-même lié au second par une chaine, et ainsi de suite jusqu'au dernier chariot qui est lié à la charpente. Au fur et à mesure que les chaines se tendent, les chariots sont entrainés. Lors de la résorption de la boucle, les chariots porte-rouleaux sont repoussés les uns contre les autres, ceci jusqu'à ce que la boucle soit minimum. Cette solution qui fonctionne très bien pour les lignes à faible vitesse est tout à fait déconseillée pour les lignes à forte vitesse car on ne peut pas présumer la position exacte d'un chariot et les battements de bande peuvent amener les chariots à se déplacer.
• - le deuxième type de montage de rouleaux séparateurs, le plus fré- quemmént utilisé, consiste à.monter ces rouleaux sur des bras qui pivotent autour d'un axe vertical de façon à pouvoir s'éclipser à la manière d'une porte lorsque le chariot de bouclage passe. La nécessité d'avoir des bras séparateurs résistants conduit à les construire d'une manière assez lourde de sorte que le dispositif permettant le pivo- tement au passage du chariot est d'une assez grande complexité et d'un coût assez important. D'autre part, lorsque ce dispositif tombe en panne, il arrive que le chariot percute un bras qui ne s'est pas éclipsé, ce qui entraine d'importantes contraintes dans la charpenta qui peuvent conduire à une déformation permanente de celle-ci.

Currently, there are essentially two types of separator rollers:

• - The first type of assembly is based on the use of carriages which roll on the same rails as those of the looping carriage and each support a roller. When the loop is formed, the looping carriage drives the first roller support carriage to which it is linked by a chain; this first carriage is itself linked to the second by a chain, and so on until the last carriage which is linked to the frame. As the chains tighten, the carriages are driven. During the absorption of the loop, the roller carriages are pushed against each other, until the loop is minimum. This solution, which works very well for low-speed lines, is completely inadvisable for high-speed lines because we cannot assume the exact position of a carriage and the band beats can cause the carriages to move.
• - the second type of mounting of separating rollers, the most frequently used, consists in mounting these rollers on arms which pivot around a vertical axis so as to be able to slide away like a door when the looping carriage passes. The need to have strong separating arms means that they are constructed in a fairly heavy manner so that the device allowing the pivoting to pass the carriage is of a rather great complexity and of a fairly high cost. On the other hand, when this device breaks down, it happens that the carriage strikes an arm which has not been eclipsed, which causes significant stresses in the charpenta which can lead to permanent deformation thereof.

The horizontal type tape storage device according to the invention does not have the drawbacks of the previous devices. It makes it possible to place the separating rollers in well-defined positions, thus avoiding the drawback due to the rollers mounted on a carriage, and to place each of said rolls on a beam resting on two supports, thus avoiding the drawback due to the separating arms. mounted in a cantilever pivoting around a vertical axis. It is characterized in that it is equipped with means for storing the separator assemblies on the looping carriage, as well as with means for successively placing said separator assemblies on the frame at selected locations thereof.

• - la figure 1 est une vue perspective d'ensemble de l'accumulateur de bande conforme à l'invention
• - les figures 2, 3 et 4 sont des vues latérales schématiques de l'accumulateur de la figure 1., montrant trois phases successives essentielles de l'opération de prise et mise en place d'un des rouleaux séparateurs
• - la figure 5 est une vue partielle de devant selon la direction F de la figure 1, montrant le dispositif de blocage du rouleau sépa- rateur après sa mise en place sur la charpente.

The invention will be better understood using the following description of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of the tape accumulator according to the invention
• - Figures 2, 3 and 4 are schematic side views of the accumulator of Figure 1., showing three successive phases essentials of the gripping operation and placement of one of the separating rollers
• - Figure 5 is a partial front view in the direction F of Figure 1, showing the locking device of the separating roller after its installation on the frame.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the reference 1 designates the wrap-around carriage of the tape accumulator, which moves, in a conventional manner, on rails 2 by means of wheels 3, being pulled to the right in the direction of widening of the loop 4 using a cable 5 fixed to it, or to the left in the direction of shortening thereof by the traction exerted on the strip. Also conventionally, the strip 4, the lower part of which is supported by lower support rollers 6, passes under the carriage 1, then around the deflector drum 7 fixed on the carriage 1, and then returns back, the portion of return, or upper portion to be supported, in a very conventional manner, by sets of separating rollers 8, of suitable spacing from one set to the other, situated above the lower support rollers 6.

According to the invention, each separator assembly 8, constituted in a manner known per se of two rollers (9, 10) mounted on a beam 11, is stored, when not in use, on the looping carriage 1, which is therefore provided with notches 12 for this purpose. The frame is provided, at the locations corresponding to the desired positions for each separator assembly put in place, with pairs of fixed frames, a frame on either side of the passage of the carriage, such as frame 13, each provided with a device articulated 14 allowing the unloading and loading of each separator assembly on the looping carriage 1, as well as their maintenance in the high working position.

Each of the articulated devices 14 is constituted, as shown in the drawings, by a set of connecting rods 15 hinged together and on which is mounted a notch piece 16 making it possible to take, to maintain in the high working position, then to re-deposit the separator assembly which corresponds to it on the trolley.

• - mise en mouvement de la pièce 16 jusqu'à ce que sa vitesse horizontale soit égale à celle du chariot 1 figure 2
• - maintien de la pièce 16 à la vitesse horizontale du chariot tandis que sa position et son déplacement verticaux entraine le soulèvement de l'ensemble séparateur adéquat 8 : figure 3
• - ralentissement de la vitesse horizontale de la pièce 16 jusqu'à sa position d'arrêt et de travail, position dans laquelle est maintenu alors l'ensemble séparateur 8 : figure 4.

Each set of connecting rods 15 is set in motion by means of a roller 17, placed at the free downstream end of the assembly 14, which comes to roll in a groove 18, in the form of a capital S stretched and asymmetrical as shown in the drawings, and which is arranged on the corresponding side of the looping carriage. The shape of the groove 18 and the assembly 14 are such that, when the carriage moves from the left to the right, that is to say during the formation of the loop, the roller 17 engages in the groove 18 and have the following movements described in part 16, shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 2 to 4:

• - setting in motion of the part 16 until its horizontal speed is equal to that of the carriage 1 figure 2
• - holding the part 16 at the horizontal speed of the carriage while its vertical position and displacement causes the lifting of the adequate separator assembly 8: FIG. 3
• - Slowing down of the horizontal speed of the part 16 to its stop and working position, position in which the separator assembly 8 is then maintained: FIG. 4.

These three movements are carried out in reverse order when the carriage returns from the right to the left, that is to say during the absorption of the loop.

Obviously, the length of the horizontal rod 19 of each articulated device 14 varies according to the location where they are located along the rails 2, being adjusted for each of them so that each piece 16 comes to grip the appropriate separator assembly 8 in its storage position provided on the carriage: between two successive devices 14, the difference in length of the horizontal rod 19 is such that each part 16 comes to grip separator assemblies 8 separated from the distance separating two notches 12.

Each separator assembly 8 or each device 16, once in the high working position as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, is advantageously locked in this position by an additional device, which has not been shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 so as not to do not overload the drawings, which guarantees good stability of the separating rollers, even in the event of tape breakdown. The additional blocking device used in the example considered will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

Figure 5 shows the part 16 in the lifting position of the separator assembly 8, in a phase lying between the phase of FIG. 3 and that of FIG. 4. On the frame. 13 is further mounted a device 20 for locking in the high position of the articulated system 14 essentially comprising a pneumatic cylinder 21, fixed in horizontal and transverse position so that its rod 22, once out, can engage in a cavity 23, of corresponding shape, pierced in the bar 24 constituting the bearing end of the beam 11. Advantageously moreover, to this end bar 24 is fixed an oleopneumatic damper 25 making it possible to absorb the shock due to vertical forces which can occur during the removal of the separator assemblies 8.

In the preferential device which has just been described in. By way of nonlimiting example, the devices allowing the installation and the removal of the separator assemblies are mounted on the frame. It goes without saying that one could also, without departing from the scope of the invention, mount such a device, unique, on the carriage itself. It would then be set in motion as previously by grooves in. S placed on the frame and not on the carriage, and would have the role of taking each separator assembly, placing it in the high position in notches, or the like, provided on the frame, then releasing it there to descend into position low while waiting to take the following separator assembly, while an annex system, such as a device commonly used to move in a block and a short distance, all of the rolled bars in the outlet coolers of the rolling mills, would move horizontally one notch upstream all of the separators remaining on the carriage. Obviously, these operations would be carried out in the opposite direction when the carriage returns. ;

Claims (5)

1. Tape storage device of the horizontal type, of the type comprising a looping carriage (1) and separator assemblies (8) intended for supporting the upper return portion of the tape (4), characterized in that it is equipped with means (12) for storing the separator assemblies on the looping carriage, as well as means (13, 14, 18) for successively placing said separator assemblies on the frame at selected locations thereof. 2. A tape accumulator device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is shown provided with means (21, 23) for locking in the working position of each separator assembly. 3. A tape accumulator device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it is provided with damping means (25) of the laying of each separator assembly, 4. A tape accumulator device according to claim 1 or la. claim 2, characterized in that the looping carriage is provided with notches (12), or the like, allowing the storage of the separator assemblies (8), as well as, on each of its sides, a groove (18) in shape of "S capital" set, and in that the frame is provided with a series of pairs of fixed frames (13), a frame on either side of the passage of the carriage, each carrying an articulated device (14) allowing, using at least one guide (17) circulating in said groove (18), the gripping and lifting in the working position of the associated separator assembly when the carriage is in loop formation movement, and the reverse operations when the carriage is in the loop absorption movement. 5. A tape accumulator device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a unique device for positioning the separator assemblies placed on the carriage itself as well as a device for horizontal displacement step by step of the set separators stored on the cart.

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