JPS62254997A - Method and apparatus for flattening metal scrap having thickness of sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to sheet-thick metal scrap and the processing of such scrap material for facilitating remelting and recycling in steelmaking and casting furnaces. processing. More particularly, the present invention flattens sheet-thick steel and other metal scrap produced from punching and other metalworking operations for the purpose of increasing its bulk density, thereby making it easier to transport, manufacture and manufacture.
The present invention relates to a method and an H-placement for making efficient use of a casting furnace.

PRIOR ART AND PROBLEMS When forming sheet metal parts in a stamp press, the scrap metal residue is typically bent, deformed, or twisted or distorted in some way.

As a result, a flat piece of metal with a flat thickness in the range of about 0.012 to about 0.150 inches that is fed into the stamping process will be distorted by the stamping, and individual scrap pieces from the stamping operation will be distorted by up to about 5 inches. (or deflection from flatness), this scrap is valuable and can be scrapped into a form that can be more conveniently and economically transported and used as feed for steelmaking or foundry process furnaces. It is desirable to recover this value by converting

The individual pieces of sheet-thick steel or other metal that constitute the scrap and feed material of the method of the present invention are typically about 5 feet long and wide in their largest dimensions and have a twist of about 5 inches. Motsu.

Prior art methods for taking this scrap and making it more desirable for transportation and reprocessing are commonly known as "paling."

In the "paying" process, a single sheet-thick sheet of scrap metal, say 1,500 pounds, is typically loaded into a so-called pail box in a pail press.
The palling box has a rectangular horizontal cross-section and the walls of the box are rigid. Once the palling box is loaded with a single sheet's worth of scrap metal, a hydraulically driven ram compresses the charge.
Form into relatively dense "pails" or bundles of cubes, for example, having dimensions of 2 feet by 2 feet by 3 feet.

This pail or bundle is easy to transport and amenable to remelting operations.

Pails or bundles made in the prior art have two distinct disadvantages. Firstly, modern! ! In steel technology, pails are less desirable than flat sheet scraps consisting of individual scraps that are not joined together, 19
Until 60 years! ! Most of the steel production is done in open hearth,
Scrap preparation was designed for open hearth operations, as open hearth operations work well using bulky scrap pieces in the form of pails or bundles.

But today, open hearths are virtually obsolete! ! Steel production is usually carried out in basic oxygen or electric furnaces. These new furnaces work more efficiently with a relatively small, free-flowing, loose scrap charge. This type of scrap increases production rates and causes less damage to the lining and electrodes than bulky scrap such as pails or bundles.

A second disadvantage of pails or bundles made in the prior art is that the piling method requires less initial investment,
Energy consumption, maintenance, and manpower related costs are much higher.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to flatten sheet-thick metal scrap material into substantially flat, relatively high-grade materials for use as scrap feed into steelmaking or casting processes. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved method for making bulk density materials.

Another object of the invention is to pick up pieces of sheet-thick scrap metal material that have been twisted and distorted from their original flat form so that they have a greater bulk density and are therefore better suited for use as scrap feed into steelmaking or other furnaces. The objective is to provide an apparatus for converting it into a useful, flatter form.

These and other objects will be better understood from the following description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The present invention flattens sheet-thick scrap metal material that has been significantly twisted and distorted from its original flat shape as a result of stamping or other metalworking operations into a flatter form that is easier to handle, transport, and remelt. As used herein, "sheet-thick scrap metal material" has a thickness of approximately 0.150 inches and typically has a substantially non-planar surface. A piece or "clip" of steel or other sheet metal that has a rough surface and is often highly irregular both internally and externally.

Sheet-thick scrap metal material scraps or clips are collected and fed from a suitable hopper into a feed chute, passing through a baffle/sensor gate and then through a pair of hydraulically driven compression cylinders. Here the individual scraps of sheet-thick metal scrap material are flattened into irregular but substantially flatter scrap material.

The product scrap material is discharged from the compaction rolls into a discharge chute, rides on a discharge conveyor, and is collected in a suitable container for transportation and use as scrap feed material for electric furnaces and other processes.

The product of the present invention is a collection of discontinuously stacked, substantially flatter scraps of sheet-thick scrap metal material having individual thicknesses of up to about 0.150 inches; They overlap each other horizontally and easily form a suitable container shape.

The present invention converts sheet-thick metal scrap material into a substantially flat, relatively dense, easily transported and handled material for feeding into steel furnaces and particularly steelmaking electric furnaces. A method and apparatus for cutting.

The sheet-thick twisted scrap metal material typically produced in conventional metal stamping plants has a bulk density of about IO to about 25 pounds per cubic foot. A primary object of the present invention is to create a substantially flatter product having a bulk density in the range of about 40 to about 125 pounds per cubic foot, and preferably at least about 50 pounds per cubic foot.

The preferred sheet thickness of scrap metal material to be used as feed or manual input to the process of the invention is approximately 40
It has an outside dimension of from about an inch to about 12 inches and a flat thickness from about 0.012 inch to about 0.050 inch.

The twist or distortion from flatness is about 5 inches on each edge.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that sheet-thick scrap metal scraps or clips lO are fed from a conveyor 26 and fall by gravity through a feed chute 20, the conveyor 26 being of conventional design. A preparation chute 20 which is of a type and does not form part of this invention.
consists of a flat surface 22 made of rigid sheet metal and mounted at an angle of approximately 55° from the horizontal. Although the angle is not critical, it has been found that 55'' provides good gravity feeding of sheet metal scrap to the pinch rolls 50 and 60.
It is composed of a sensor gate 30. It includes a rigid metal flat face plate 32 mounted on a pivot and carrying a counterweight, which is pivoted at a pivot point 34 and balanced by a suitable counterweight 3G. When installing the deflection Vi/sensor gate 30, the pivot point 34 is
It is a position that is almost coaxial with the center of 8, and therefore G) 3
0 is in the normal vertical position rr: (the position shown in FIG. 1), the end of the gate 30 and the surface 22 of the charging chute 200
There is a gap of about 5 inches between them. This opening serves to guide the individual clips of sheet-thick metal scrap material 100 toward the pinch awls 50 and 60.

The two pinch rolls rotate in opposite directions, clockwise and counterclockwise, to provide a positive drive force to lower the sheet metal clip IO between the pinch rolls.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two hydraulic cylinders 54, one attached to each end of the pinch roll. Each of the two hydraulic cylinders 54 connecting the pinch rolls 50 and 60 at each end has a pressure of about 12.50 m
Delivers a compression force of 0 to about 25,000 pounds. At this power level, the cylinder arm or piston 56 is free to move so that the varying thickness of the metal clip 10 in the thickness of the sheet passing between the rolls is accommodated.

As can be seen in FIG.
The pinch roll 600 weight is adapted to apply one component of the compressive force to the scrap metal material 10 while providing a positive gravity feed of scrap metal to the bond line between 0 and 10 mm.

The piston 56 of each hydraulic cylinder 54 is attached at its outer end to a plate 68 by a pin 66 with a pivot as a fulcrum, and the plate 68 is fixed to a pivotal arm 70.

Compression or pinch rolls 50 and 60 and rolls 50 and 6
Corresponding hydraulic drive motors 52 and 62 for 0 are rotatably mounted on a suitable solid steel rack. The roll 50 and its hydraulic drive motor 52 are <40
rotatably mounted on each hydraulic cylinder 5
4 is attached to the wa<40 by a pivot pin 64 with the pivot as a fulcrum.

The compression roll 60 and its hydraulic drive motor 62 are rotatably mounted between parallel arms 700, which are pivoted to opposite sides of the frame 400 by a pin 72 at its lower end.

As further described below, in the event of a material jam at the bottom of the charge chute 20, in response to a signal from the baffle/sensor gate 30, the rolls or cylinders will automatically space out and open again. close.

The feed chute 20 is approximately 48 inches wide and preferably has a width that is at least 110% of the largest dimension of the sheet-thick metal scrap clip 10 that is typically fed therethrough.

The throughput of the charging chute 20 may be 25 tons of oak-1 per hour or more.

The deflector/sensor gate 30 is a partially counterweighted rocking plate 32 that is approximately the same width as the feed chute 20. Conveniently, the counterweight 36 weighs from about 70% to about 90%, preferably about 80%, of the weight of the plate 32.

Under normal continuous charging conditions, individual scrap pieces or clips pass freely through the normal 5-inch gap at the bottom of gate 30, while overlapping scraps become evenly distributed throughout charging chute 20. Ru. In the event of a sudden rush of material, jamming of the pinch rolls 50 and 60, or roll stoppage, the gate 30 will be rotated counterclockwise by the weight of the material accumulated in the chute 20 until the gate is in the "discharge position". (as shown in FIG. 2), its lower end is located 20 inches from the surface 22 of the feed chute 20, which is four times the width of the normal rM. "
The exact opening of the release location is a matter of choice. Game) 3
0 opens to the discharge position, the deflector/sensor gate 30
and the hydraulic compression cylinder 54 (not shown) actuates the hydraulic compression cylinder 54;
Pinch rolls 50 and 60 automatically open to create a gap of approximately 24 inches, as shown in FIG. 2, to allow scrap material 10 that may become stuck to pass through.

When the scrap passes, Ge) 30 is due to gravity,
Return to a position at least 10 inches from chute 20;
At this time, the hydraulic cylinder 45 is connected by electrical communication (not shown).
4 returns pinch rolls 50 and 60 to their normal operating positions as shown in FIG.

Pinch rolls 50 and 60 are conveniently about 60 inches in diameter. This dimension is determined by the thickness and maximum strain of the scrap material. The width of the rolls 50 and 60 is preferably 12 inches greater than that of the feed chute so that the scrubbing can be spread out as it is received in the nip of the rolls.

Pinch rolls 50 and 60 are made of rolled medium hardness carbon steel plate 374 inches thick and have a 4.5 inch diameter shaft, thickness as determined from the roll diameter, width, and total compression force. Conveniently, each roll is assembled from a 0.5 inch thick end disk and two 0.5 inch thick inner disks (not shown) evenly spaced between the end disks.

Each pinch roll is operated at a variable speed preferably adjustable from about 6.5 to about 13 rp-, i.e., every Approximately 10 minutes
They are independently driven at speeds approximately corresponding to roll surface speeds of 0 to about 200 linear feet.

The roll speed is determined by the average flow rate of the feed material, and both rolls are set to rotate at the same speed. The 50 horsepower hydraulic motor delivers a minimum torque of 8,200 foot-pounds at +3 rpm.

Flow rate of scrap material 10 and pinch rolls 50 and 60
The compression force of is adjusted to provide a bulk load density in the range of about 40 to about 125 pounds per cubic foot of finished product scrap, preferably greater than 50 pounds.

A discharge chute 80 constructed from rigid sheet metal is connected to the compaction roll 5 to receive the substantially flattened product clip emerging from the nip of the rolls 50 and 60.
It is fixedly attached to the lower part of 0 and 60. These clips fall by gravity through the discharge chute 80 onto the discharge conveyor 86 and are transported to a convenient location for further handling. The discharge chute 80 is connected to the conveyor 86
It is preferred to have a longitudinally concave cross section so as to deliver the product clips to the discharge conveyor 86 without substantial impact on the surfaces of the product clips.

The method according to the invention comprises a sheet of scrap metal material 10
and about 40 to about 1 per cubic foot.
25 pounds, and preferably a bulk density of at least about 50 pounds per cubic foot, up to about 48 inches in diameter, up to about 60 inches in length, and preferably up to about 12 inches in width and up to 40 inches in length. This process converts the product into a substantially flatter product with edges.

In this way, individual scraps or clips of sheet-thick metal scrap material are moved between two hydraulic cylinders 54.
A relatively uniform charge of sheet-thick metal scrap pieces is deposited between a pair of spaced compaction rolls under a total compaction force of about 50,000 pounds per minute. It is guided through the pinch rolls at a linear speed in the range of feet.

The final product is a collection of loose, substantially flattened scraps of sheet-thick scrap metal material with a bulk density ranging from about 40 to about 125 pounds per cubic foot.

It will be appreciated that considerable modifications may be made to the method and apparatus of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications are contemplated by the invention. For example, the sheet thickness, scrap metal feed dimensions, the exact size and shape of the final product, the dimensions of the apparatus of the invention, and the load discipline operating parameters of the hydraulic pinch rolls are broadly within the spirit and scope of the invention. You can change it within limits.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-section of the device according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the apparatus of the invention, with one of the compression cylinders in a turned position for releasing accumulated sheet-thick metal scrap material; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention. Applicant Avondale Industries, Inc. 4u -F gradient, 1-15 value, 2

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. (a) A charge consisting of twisted scraps of sheet-thick metal scrap material from above the converging nip of a pair of rigid compression rolls in compressive contact with each other and rotating in opposite directions. (b) applying a compressive force to a twisted piece of sheet-thick scrap metal material by passing said charge downwardly between said compression rolls; (c) below the nip of said rolls; A method for increasing the bulk density of twisted scraps of sheet-thickness scrap metal material, comprising the step of removing a product consisting of scraps of sheet-thickness scrap metal material with increased bulk density from. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the total combined compressive force between the rolls is in the range of about 25,000 pounds to about 50,000 pounds. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rolls rotate in opposite directions to produce a downward tangential velocity of about 100 to about 200 feet per minute at the surface of the nip. 4. (a) A pair of parallel stiff compression rolls facing each other, (
b) means for independently and variably driving each of said rolls in the same downward direction at the proximate surface; and (c) a total weight between about 25,000 lbs. means for controllably interconnecting said compaction rolls to create a compaction force. 5. The axis of rotation of one compression roll is fixed and the axis of rotation of the other compression roll is movable and adjustable, and the movable axis of rotation is usually above the horizontal plane passing through the fixed axis of rotation, from the axis of rotation. 5. A device according to claim 4, located at an angle of approximately 20°. 6. (a) a flat charge chute for directing sheet-thick metal scrap material over and between compaction rolls; (b) typically about 5 mm from the nearest surface of the charge chute to the lowest end; 6. The apparatus of claim 5 including a movable baffle plate/sensor gate providing inch spacing. 7. The charging chute is tilted downward at an angle of approximately 55° from the horizontal and is positioned so as to discharge slightly above the line of proximity between the two compression rolls, and the deflector plate/sensor gate is equipped with a counterweight, It is attached with a pivot so that the distance between it and the preparation chute increases depending on the accumulation.
There is also means for electronically communicating with the baffle plate/sensor gate, which means adjustably interacts with the compaction rolls to provide spacing between the compaction rolls in response to tilting of the gate in excess of a predetermined amount. 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein: