EP1635966B1

EP1635966B1 - Winding plant for rolled-stock with improved wire-entry guide system

Info

Publication number: EP1635966B1
Application number: EP04735650A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Federico Castellani
Original assignee: SIMAC SpA
Current assignee: SIMAC SpA
Priority date: 2003-06-09
Filing date: 2004-06-01
Publication date: 2007-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-01
Also published as: EP1635966A1; ATE367221T1; DE602004007656D1; ITUD20030124A1; ES2290716T3; WO2004108314A1; DE602004007656T2

Abstract

Winding plant for rolled-stock of the type involving, downstream of a rolling-mill plant, movable wire-entry guide jaws (431) mounted on two interdependent movements (43) with: a first movement for rotational arm excursion (4301, 4310, 43101, 43102) in approach to or complete sending-away from said reel (AV); a second movement for limited, rapid excursion towards and away from the position of the wire-guide for the formation of the first turns of the coil adjacent to said reel (4311) by means of pivoting at the end of the arm of said first movement (4310).

Description

This invention relates to a winding plant according to the pre-characterizing part of the main claim 1.

Technical Field

This plant is particularly intended, if not exclusively, to be placed downstream of a wire or band or strip rolling-mill plant, in which instead of fly-cutting the rolled-stock, the latter is wound in coils

Background Art

In the prior art different systems for coil-winding the rolled-stock or also wire, for example originating from others plants, in a continuous way are known, citing as an example:
US-A-3,796,389 discloses apparatus for strip winding placed in a feeding line with a split-system for two alternating winding-machines in the winding operation.
A similar plant is disclosed in DE-A-4035193 where substantially a flying cutting shear and splitting-system to split is provided that does not stop the advancement of the wire on either of the two winding-machines so that while winding is carried out in one, it is possible to proceed to the extraction of the coil in the other.
Another similar plant is explained in EP1126933 in which a handling device is associated to each winding-machine to draw out axially the coil from the stopped winding-machine and transfer it to evacuating transfer means, while the other is winding.
US4964587 and USB63186601 disclose machines with winding devices.
In particular USB63186601 discloses a winding device with wire-entry guide system (37,39,40,42,43).

Drawbacks of the Prior Art

The known solutions present operating speed limits and moreover are structurally complex and expensive.
The winding process can involve stops due to tangling and the handling arrangements and coil storage are impractical and rather slow.
The machines are cumbersome.
Both systems therefore present one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations.
In particular the EP1126933 solution is very complex and rather inefficient particularly with the limited speed of the reel opening and closing system that takes place with the system in the form of a flag-opening cap, with all the resultant drawbacks. The complexity of the latter solution derives furthermore from the pick-up and movement system of the formed coil by means of ground guide-rails, trolleys and the like. All these shapes make the system very complex, cumbersome and difficult to access and maintain. In conclusion it is rather unreliable. The operating speed is further limited by the complex structure of the systems for wire-entry guiding to engage the head of the wire at winding-start entry phase (guidance of the head of the wire to be engaged on the reel in starting forming the coil). The two opposed semicircular wire-entry guide means 37,39,40 of US6318660 use a single large movement of approaching the reel or moving away from the reel by a rotational arm moved by respective cylinder (42,43) and coil control after the formation of the coil for pick-up.

Aim of the Present Invention

The aim of the present invention is to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks and improve the performance of the plant, improve the quality and/or to reduce the cost of treated material.

Summary of the Invention

The winding plant according to the present invention is concretized according to the characteristics of main claim 1. The characteristics of the sub-claims refer to particularly advantageous solutions.

Advantages

The advantages achieved resolve the pre-established aim and in particular allow the achievement of a high multi-functional performance and moreover allow a qualitatively good product to be obtained at a reduced production cost.
All this is obviously favoured by the vertical axis coil extraction system.

Brief Description of Drawings

The characteristics of the invention and other related features will be better understood with the aid of the attached figures enclosed as a non-limitative example,
in which:

Fig.1 represents an elevated schematic side view of the winding plant applied to the end portion of a rolling-mill line during the winding phase or winding in a first winding-machine of two coordinated adjacent winding-machines, supplied by a shunter with an associated flying cutting shear,
Fig. 1 a represents the phase of depositing the coil in the binding station.
Fig.2 represents an overview of the plant in Fig.1 in which it is possible to see the two adjacent winding-machines associated to a flag-transfer, namely with a column with a rotating overhanging arm to extract the coils from either of the winding-machines and discharge said coils into a posterior binding, transfer and stocking station Fig. 2A.
Fig.3A and 3B represent, in an elevated side view, the mullion-transfer as in previous Figures, respectively without coil, lowered and with the coil raised for the transfer by means of rotation.
Fig.3C represents a plan view of the coil pick-up device with four jaws/clamps, placed at the end under the portal arm of the mullion-transfer device.
Fig.4,4A represent respectively a side and plan overview of a winding-machine, from the feeding side of the wire to be wound (AB), with the pair of wire-guide jaws lowered around the wire winding reel to allow the automatic threading of the wire split by the upstream splitting flying shear (4C-2,3), while the pair of rolls that keep the coil compact at the end of the winding are rotated at a distance from the winding reel, in an upwards direction (48-422).
Fig.5 represents a view of the phase immediately following the threading of the wire and the start of winding (F), with the opposite wire-guide jaws (4C-431) immediately raised with a small disengagement movement from the previous wire-guide position, this movement is very rapid because it is not integrated in the total disengaging mechanism that takes place in a subsequent phase.
Fig.6 and 6A represent a view of the same device as in previous Figures but in which the opposite wire-guide jaws are completely shifted by means of rotation on a different articulation, in sending-away from the winding reel (AV), while the two pairs of opposite rolls (422) have been rotated in approach against the wire coil that has been formed in rotation (B)
Fig. 7 represents an enlarged view of the constructive details of the wire-winding reel for the formation of the coil (winding reel), in partial axial section to show the respective moving mechanism and cooling device.
Said winder or winding-reel being in the winding position.
Fig.7A, represents a view of the winding reel (AV) in the previous Figure, in which in partial axial section, the moving mechanism is still visible and the latter has been transformed from a closed reel to a conic reel (410) with the flanging of the reel (411) rotated upwards, namely towards the outwards axis to allow the axial extraction of said coil (B).
Fig.7B represents a plan view of the reel-mandrel sectors, of which there are four, that form the winding reel in a movable way, namely the winding reel mandrel with the hatched-view of the respective inner holes, such as channels for the circulation of water for cooling and therefore the dispersion of the heat that the hot-rolled wire introduces into winding the coil, together with the external undulated special shape of said nippers to reduce contact with the wire to a minimum and to allow optimum heat dispersion by means of aeration.
Fig.8 represents a front view of a nipper/madrel-sector (410) of the reel, with a view of the respective internal to-and-fro serpentine channelling (4102) for its cooling.

Detailed Description of the Plant in Connection with the Figures

As disclosed in the previous Figures, the winding plant (see Fig. 1-1A, 2-2A) includes a split system or splitting of the known type with a flying shear, schematized with (1) that deviates the wire on two lines, alternatively on one or on the other (2) towards one or the other of two respectively adjacent winding-machines (4), with the aid of suitable wire-guide means of the known type (3) for the coil-winding (B).
While a coil forms in a winding-machine, in the adjacent winding-machine that is stopped the pick-up of the completed coil is carried out with transfer (5,...,521).

Coil Transfer (5. Fig.1, 1A, 2.2A, 3A, 3B. 3C)

The coil transfer (5, ..., 521) Fig.1 A, is of the portal type, namely with a column (51), with a flag type arm (52) that can be rotated (510), whose end (521) carries an openable vice with a pair of clamps or cross-opposite jaws (522) for the pick-up operation and axial extraction of the coil (B) from the winding-machine (AV) of the respective winding device (4, 4A) to transfer it (Fg2) from the stopped winding-machine to a posterior binding or strapping station by means of two known art opposite binding machines or tie-machines (6) Fig.2A, the coil transfer to respective storage of tied coils (B1) then being provided.
The mullion-transfer is therefore of the portal type and its rotating arm (52) can be raised and lowered by means of a dynamic-fluid piston (520) for the pick-up and deposition action, while the rotation is guaranteed by a respective motor/ratiomotor (510) at the base of the column on a respective thrust block (5101).
The lifting and lowering of the arm (52) is guaranteed by a box guide (5200) with pairs of opposite guide rolls (5201) operating in a sliding way on the column in double-T section.
The pick-up of the coils is facilitated by the clamping device with four clamps that self-centre on the coil (B), opening and closing by means of respective fluid operated cylinders for opening and closing (5220).
In this way it is understood that the transfer movement is very fast and has open-air short movement, it does not encumber or impede the surrounding zones thus allowing the even greater compactness of the plant. Furthermore, this type of movement is manifestly very simple and very reliable with maintenance reduced to a minimum.

Winding Groups (4. 4A. 4B. 4C. Fig.4. 4A, 5. 6. 6A)

The two winding groups are identical and adjacent with a wire-winding reel (F) with an openable reel (AV) with a vertical axis.
Each group includes, in addition to the central winding reel (AV-41), two opposite coil-compacting apparatus (4B) in pairs of rolls (422) and two auto-introducing wire-guide jaws to automatically guide the wire at the beginning of winding (4C).
In the centre is the reel (41) with openable winding reel (AV).

Opposite Coil-Compacting Apparatus (4B)

They include two respective articulated devices (42), placed on both sides of the winding reel (AV) with respect to the wire advancment line that fits sideways into the reel (AB).
The rolls are mounted on an articulated arm (421) hinged to the base structure (420) and operated in rotation from a position at a distance (Fig.4) to a position against the coil (B) Fig.6. The movement occurs by means of a fluid-operated base-cylinder (4212) on the reacting arm (4210).
Said rolls (422, see Fig.6A) being mounted in pairs on a parallelogram (4222) on pairs of opposite arms mounted on support rolls (4220) and elastically moved under pressure by respective means with dynamic-fluid cylinder (4221).
In this way the movement is simple and reliable and the invariable orientation of the rolls is guaranteed for the suitable control of the end turns of the coil (B) in the winding reel (4V-41) to avoid slackening prior to pick-up.

Wire-Guide Group (4C)

The wire-guide group includes two semicircular opposite wire-entry guide jaws (431) hinged sideways and horizontally (430) and controlled by a fast-moving dynamic-fluid cylinder (4311) at the end of the jaw movement arm (4310) hinged sideways to the base of the machine (4301) and rotated in sending-away and approach by means of a reacting arm (43101) operated by a fluid-operated base-cylinder (43102).
In this way it is understood that while with the opposite fluid operated base-cylinders (43102) the sending-away and wire-entry guide jaws approach (431) is carried out, their final movement that is precise and rapid in order to engage and disengage the wire, occurs with independent, short precise and fast control (4311) that would otherwise prove impossible in this type of process by the approaching and spacing-apart mover device with large extended movement (43102).
The above therefore allows very high speed and excellent performance to be achieved, without the danger of tangling or the need to reduce the speed of advancement of the wire or the need to use speed adapting loops.
The short engagement and disengagement movement is clearly visible in Fig.5

Winding Central Group-Winding Reel (4A. Fig 7. 7A, 7B. 8)

It comprises the central winding reel (41) with the closable and openable reel (AV), Reel opening and closing action (AV):
The opening and closing of the reel (AV), necessary for extracting the coil (B) once it has been completed, occurs by means of four rotatable petal flange sectors, (411) with a reacting arm (4111) moved by a sleeve (413) that moves axially by means of a dynamic-fluid cylinder (4131-4132) operated by a dynamic-fluid circuit (4133) with transmission to the reel base (41330) on a coaxial non-rotating axis with respect to the rotating reel (AV).
The advantage of this solution is very important for compactness and simplicity, rotation being guaranteed by the connection shaft end (4131) with respect to the sleeve (413).

Reel Mandrel External Shape Variation (AV)

The reel mandrel (AV) is composed of four sectors namely four nippers (410) hinged at the base (4121) of a rest-coil lower reel flange (412).
On the upper part the reel-mandrel movable sectors (410) are articulated (4112) to said axially movable sleeve (413).
In this way, when the movable sleeve (413) is raised the upper flanging petals (411) are open, namely orthogonal to the reel axis and they allow coil formation (B) during winding, and the reel-mandrel sectors (410) are parallel and form a cylinder (Fig.7).
When the coil is finished, to allow easy extraction, the movable internal sleeve (413) is withdrawn downwards, simultaneously operating:

the petals of the upper flanging of the reel that re-close upwards like a flower,
the sectors of the core that re-enter on the upper part (410, Fig.7A) determining a conical shape with an upper base size less than the lower base.

In this way coil extraction (B) by means of the jaws of the clamping device (522) is allowed and facilitated.

Cooling System

The semicircular shaped reel mandrel sectors or nippers (410), are internally holed with channels (4102). The channels convey on a connecting duct (41020) with a duct inside a double coaxial channel (41021,41022). In this way the cooling of the reel is guaranteed.
Furthermore, the external shape of said core nippers or sectors is undulated by means of alternate longitudinal tanglings (4101).
In this way the contact of the reel mandrel surface (AV) with the coil (B) is reduced, and the circulation of air through these longitudinal tanglings is facilitated.
The reel (AV) rotates coaxially to the central axis by means of known art motorization with connection to a bevel-type drive (40, 401-402).

Winding Cycle

The start of coil-winding occurs by means of said movable semicircular opposite jaw device (431) in association with the wire-introduction system (AB) for the first adherent turns to the base side or flange of the reel (AV) of the winding-machine.
This jaw device (431) receives the wire (F) from the dispenser (2-3) while it is closely fitted to the reel mandrel (AV) and following the priming of the first turns, it must quickly free the coil forming area. To do this with maximum efficiency, the fast movement of rapid displacement (short rotation 4310, Fig. 5) is used.
Subsequently, with other slower and wider rotation movements (4310-43102) the wire-guide jaws sending-away is carried out, leaving free the space to the approach of said control rolls' last coil turns (422).
In this way when the coil stops, the last turns are held closed until the clamping device (522) of the transfer (5) intervenes, whose four jaws are rotated to 45° to clamp the coil (B) between the said rolls (422).
Subsequently the rolls (422) move away and the coil (B) remains closed by the clamping device. At the same time the reel (AV) is also opened thus tightening and closing the upper flanging petals that are oriented upwards.
In this way the lock-out coil is also loosened internally and can easily be withdrawn upwards with the lifting of the arm (52) of the mullion-transfer (5) and rotated rearward for deposition in the binding-machine with two opposite binding groups (6).
At this point the cycle is repeated returning the priming wire-guide jaws to the position adjacent to the reel mandrel (AV) to receive a new wire (F) to be wound (Fig.4).

Claims

Winding plant for rolled-stock, of the type involving downstream of a rolling-mill plant:
- rolled flying cutting means (1) and two-way splitting (2);

- coil-winding wire-entry guide means (3) for guiding the wire in winding to form a coil;

- at least two winding-machines (4) for the formation of coils (B) in which each winding-machine includes a reel (AV) including an openable exterior flange to allow the extraction of the coil (B) once it has been completed, the above is associated to movable wire-entry guide means (43) of said coil-winding wire-entry guide means (3) to dynamically engage the head of the wire on said reel (4), to start winding in order to form the coil (B);

- coil transfer means (5) capable of withdrawing said coil (B) from said reel (AV) to transfer it elsewhere;
characterized in that:
said movable wire-entry guide means (43) are mounted on two interdependent movement means:
- a first means (4301,4310,43101,43102), comprising a rotational arm (4310), for rotational arm extended movement in approach to or complete sending-away from said reel (AV);

- a second means comprising pivoting means (430) mounted at the end of said rotational arm (4310) of said first movement means, for limited, rapid short movement towards and away from the position of the wire-guide for the formation of the first turn of the coil that is adjacent to said reel (4311) and wherein it further comprises:

- two series of opposite movable rolls (422), movable by means of rotatable arms (421-420) and a dynamic-fluid movement system (4212) for bringing said opposite movable rolls (422) from an upward rotated position in sending-away, to a position against the formed coil (B) in said reel (AV), said rolls (422) being mounted on an opposite parallelogram articulation (4222) on a roller-carrier (4220) with elastically pressing means (4221) against said coil (B) when said wire-guide means (4C) are withdrawn away from said reel (AV).
Winding plant for rolled-stock according to previous claim,
characterized in that:
- said exterior flange of said reel (AV) is made up of flange sectors (411), hinged to said reel by means of leverism (4111) to be rotated like the petals of flower:

- from an open-flower position, namely substantially radially orthogonal to the rotation axis of said reel (AV) to form substantially a closed reel for the winding of the rolled-stock to form said coil (B),

- to a closed-flower position, namely rotated outwards within a diameter lower than the interior diameter of said coil (B), to allow its extraction.
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to claim 2, characterized in that said movement of said flange sectors (411) occurs by means of an internal movement device (413) with internal linkage articulation (4111) to said the reel (AV) with an axial channel on the central axis to said non-rotating reel (4133).
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to the previous claim, characterized in that said internal movement of said flange sectors (411) articulates rotationally (4111-413) to a shaft (4131) of an axial dynamic-fluid cylinder (4132).
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to any of claims 2-3, characterized in that:
- the mandrel of said reel (AV) includes longitudinal sectors (410) on one side hinged at the base reel flange (4121-412) and on the other, movable in approaching and sending-apart from the reel axis, from a cylindrical external form to a conical external form with the smaller lower base being smaller than the interior diameter of said coil, for said coil extraction (B), said articulated movement (4112) having the same internal moving means (4112-413) as said flange sectors (411), so that:

- when the form of the mandrel of said reel (AV-410) is cylindrical, said external flange sectors are in an open-flower shape in the form of a reel, for the coil-winding ;

- when the form of the madrel of said reel (AV-410) is conical, said external flange sectors are in a closed-flower shape, namely directed outwards with a lower diameter than the interior diameter of said coil (B) for its extraction.
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to the previous claim, characterized in that: said longitudinal sectors (410) include channels (4102) for the circulation of cooling fluid.
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to the previous claim, characterized in that: said circulation of cooling fluid occurs by means of coaxial transmission (41021,1022) on a non-rotating central axis with respect to the reel (AV).
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to any of the three previous claims,
characterized in that:
said longitudinal sectors (410) have an undulated external surface with longitudinal tanglings (4101).
Winding plant for rolled-stock, according to any previous claims,
characterized in that:
said coil transfers means (B) are of the type with a column (5) with a flag-type arm (52) of the rotary portal type (510-5101), provision being made for said rotatable arm to be equipped with means for its lifting and lowering (520, 5200-5201) and at the end of the arm (521) including engaging means to clamp by opposite clamps or substantially crossed jaws (522) capable of opening in order to grip one said coil (B), extract it from a winding reel (AV) of said winding-machines and place it, after rotation, outside in a respective further working area (B1-6).