GB2090571A

GB2090571A - Lifting articles from rollerways

Info

Publication number: GB2090571A
Application number: GB8100183A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Davy Loewy Ltd
Current assignee: Davy Loewy Ltd
Priority date: 1981-01-06
Filing date: 1981-01-06
Publication date: 1982-07-14
Also published as: GB2090571B

Abstract

Apparatus for lifting an elongate body 3 from a roller table to a higher level comprising a first arm structure pivotable by a piston-cylinder device between first and second positions and a second arm pivotable on the first arm structure. A stop which is engaged by the second arm allows the second arm to move upwardly with the first arm structure to lift the elongate body but, on lowering the first arm structure, the second arm pivots to a position in which it does not foul another elongate body on the roller table. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for lifting an elongate body from a roller table In the manufacture of metal workpieces it is often necessary to transfer elongate bodies, such as bars, rails or blooms, from a roller table on to further apparatus such as a cooling bank. If apparatus is employed which includes an arm which passes between adjacent rollers of the roller table into engagement with the underside of the elongate body to lift the body from the roller table, then, as the arm returns to its initial position, it moves back between the rollers of the roller table and fouls any other elongate body which in the meantime has taken up or is taking up a position on the roller table.

This means that, with such apparatus, the movable arm has to be returned to its initial position before the next elongate body can take up a position on the roller table. This necessarily limits the speed of operation of the apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for lifting an elongate body from a roller table in which this difficulty is overcome.

According to the present invention, apparatus for lifting an elongate body from a roller table comprises a first arm pivotable about an axis arranged parallel with the length of the roller table, power means for pivoting the first arm between first and second positions, a second arm pivotally mounted on the first arm and pivotable about an axis arranged parallel with the length of the roller table, said second arm providing a load support surface, a stop on the first arm engageable by the second arm to locate the second arm in an operative position, the arrangement being such that, on pivoting the first arm from the first to the second position, the second arm is in its operative position and the load support surface moves between a pair of adjacent rollers of the roller table to lift the body from the roller table and deposit it at a station at a higher level than the roller table, and in the second position, after the body has been deposited at the station, the second arm pivots out of its operative position such that, on lowering the first arm to its first position, the second arm moves along a path in which it does not foul a further elongate body on the roller table, and a stop engageable with the second arm as the first arm approaches its first position to pivot the second arm to its operative position.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a side elevation of apparatus in accordance with the present invention showing successive work roll positions of the apparatus.

A roller table 1 has a plurality of rollers 3 rotatable about horizontal axes and mounted in pedestal bearings 5. Apparatus for lifting the elongate bodies from the roller table includes a shaft 7 arranged with its axis parallel to the direction of the roller table. The shaft is mounted in a stationary bearing structure 9 which is mounted on a foundation 11 positioned below and to one side of the roller table 1. A link 13 is keyed to the shaft and is pivotally connected to the piston of a fluid operated piston-cylinder device 1 5. The cylinder is pivotally mounted on a foundation. Operation of the piston-cylinder device 1 5 is arranged to rotate the shaft 7 through substantially 900. A pair of arms 19, of which one is shown in the figure, are secured to a boss keyed to the shaft 7 and are connected together by a pivot shaft 21.An arm 23 is pivoted on the shaft 21 and is positioned between the arms 1 9. The arm 23 carries a substantially flat load support surface 25. The arms 19 carry a stop 27 against which the arm 23 abuts to limit the rotation of the arm 23 in one direction relative to the arms 1 9. In the position shown in the figure, the arm 23 is restrained from further clockwise movement about the pivot 21 and the arm 23 is considered to be in its operative position. In this position, the load support surface 25 is beneath the level of the upper surface of the rollers 3 and is positioned in the space immediately below the space between a pair of adjacent rollers 3. In the position shown, the arms 1 9 rest against a roller 29 mounted by way of a resilient cushion on a foundation 31.

In use, an elongate metal bloom 35 is moved along the roller table 1 into engagement with a stop (not shown) which positions the bloom relative to the arm 23. On operating the pistoncylinder derive 1 5 to move the link 31 in an anticlockwise direction, the arms 19 and the arm 23 move together in an anti-clockwise direction with the arm 23 abutting against the stop 27. The arm 23 moves between the pair of adjacent rollers and the support surface 25 comes into engagement with the underside of the bloom 35. Continued movement of the arms raises the bloom 35 and carries it in an anti-clockwise direction. The bloom tends to slide along the support surface 25 and its restrained by a curved guide member 37.At the end of the movement of the piston-cylinder device 15, the support surface 25 is approximately vertical and the bloom thereon tips from the support surface on to a station at a higher level than the roller table. The bloom is tipped through 900 as it is moved from the roller table to the station. If the station is a walking beam, then it is convenient to arrange for blooms of rectangular cross-section to be stacked on the bank on their shorter side. Consequently, the blooms are supported on their longer side on the roller table 3.

As soon as the weight of the bloom is removed from the support surface, the weight of the arm 23 causes it to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction about its pivot 21 so that the extreme outer end 39 of the arm 25 moves to a position substantially lower than its highest position when supporting a bloom. On reversing the piston-cylinder device 1 5, the arms 1 9 are pivoted in a clockwise direction but the arm 23 is retained in its inverted position and, as the arm 23 is moved between the rollers 3 of the roller table, there is not part of the arm which is above the upper surface of the rollers and, consequently, the arm does not foul any bloom which may have been repositioned on the rollers and engaging the stop. Continued movement of the arms 19 cause the arm 23 to engage against the roller 29 causing it to pivot in a clockwise direction until it is in its operative position with the arm being prevented from further clockwise movement because of the engagement of the arm with the stop 27. The apparatus is then ready to be reversed to remove the next bloom from the roller table.

Claims

1. Apparatus for lifting an elongate body from a roller table comprising a first arm structure pivotable about an axis arranged parallel with the length of the roller table, power means for pivoting the first arm structure between first and second positions, a second arm pivotally mounted on the first arm structure and pivotable about an axis arranged parallel with the length of the roller table, said second arm providing a load support surface, a stop on the first arm structure engageable by the second arm to locate the second arm in an operative position, the arrangement being such that, on pivoting the first arm structure from the first to the second position, the second arm is in its operative position and the load support surface moves between a pair of adjacent rollers of the roller table to lift the body from the roller table and deposit it at a station at a higher level than the roller table, and in the second position, after the body has been deposited at the station, the second arm pivots out of its operative position such that, on lowering the first arm structure to its first position, the second arm moves along a path in which it does not foul a further elongate body on the roller table, and a stop engageable with the second arm as the first arm structure approaches its first position to pivot the second arm to its operative position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the first arm structure comprises two similar arms arranged in side-by-side spaced apart relation and the second arm is positioned between the two arms of the first arm structure.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the second arm is pivotable about a shaft carried by the two arms of the first arm structure.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the stop on the first arm structure comprises a pin extending between and connected to the two arms of the first arm structure.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first arm structure is keyed to a shaft and the power means comprises a piston-cylinder device arranged to angularly displace the shaft.

6. Apparatus for lifting an elongate body from a roller table substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

7. The combination of apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim and a roller table, with the apparatus positioned such that the second arm is movable between adjacent rollers of the roller table from a position below the support surface of the roller table to a position above the support surface of the roller table as the first member is moved from its first to its second position.