MXPA00004938A - Strip guiding apparatus and associated method for maintaining lateral position - Google Patents

Abstract

Strip guiding apparatus (2) and method including a roll (4) rotatable about its longitudinal axis over which strip (10) will travel while under tension. Sensing apparatus (70) determines the lateral position of the strip (10) with respect to the desired position and emits signals to control apparatus (80) which will effect responsive rotation of support apparatus (40) in order to effect rotation of the roll (4) about a second axis (30) which is spaced from and oriented generally perpendicular to the roll longitudinal axis responsive to lateral movement of the strip in relation to the desired position. Drive apparatus (50) effects rotation of the support apparatus (40) responsive to receipt of signals from the control apparatus in order to move the strip (10) toward the desired position. Apparatus (72) is also provided for measuring strip (10) tension and emitting signals to tension controlling apparatus to adjust tension where it is not within a desired range. The drive apparatus (50) is adapted to effect rotation of the roll (4) about the second axis (30) in either rotatable direction and up to about 15 degrees in each direction.

Description

APPARATUS OF STRIP GUIDE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD TO MAINTAIN THE SIDE POSITION REFERENCE WITH RELATED APPLICATION This application is a partial continuation of the Serial Number of the United States of North America 08 / 544,803, filed on October 18, 1995.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an apparatus and associated method for rapidly and efficiently maintaining the desired lateral position of an elongated strip on a rotating roller, and also provides an element for monitoring and controlling the tension on this strip. 2. Description of the Prior Art It has long been known to store strip materials in coils and for different purposes, in order to transfer the strip from a first coil to one or more second coils, moving the strip at a fast speed between these coils . Numerous types of processing of the strip can be provided as it moves from a first coil to one or more second coils, such as, for example, in the case of steel, galvanizing the strip.

It is also known to divide the strip longitudinally, such that a single rolled strip moves from a first reel to a plurality of smaller reels having a strip of reduced width, compared to the original strip. Any number of additional processes are known, including the coating of the strip, the thermal treatment of the strip, the lamination of the strip. Other examples of these processing lines are rolling mills and paper and plastic processing lines. In these operations, it is conventional to have one or more intermediate driven or idle rollers which serve to support the strip and maintain its movement in the desired direction. It is important that this strip is made to travel along the desired trajectory of movement, to resist undesired deviations in the processing or treatment of the edges of the strip, through physical contact with other components of the equipment. U.S. Patent No. 2,722,415 discloses an apparatus for guiding a blade, wherein the apparatus includes an axially movable roller that is mounted for axial movement through its interconnection with a vertical pivot shaft. The pivot arrow provides rotation about an axis perpendicular to the general plane of travel of the sheet, and furthermore, provides only a guide to the plane of the sheet, ie the sheet runs between two separate elements arranged in general parallelism in a plane common. German Patent Number 2,407,842 discloses a strip guiding apparatus having a rotating roller and a rotating support member for rotating the roller. The support arrow remains vertical at all times, while the strip can be offset to provide a wrapping angle for the strip to effect the required friction of the strip on the roller. It has also been known to use devices, such as brake rollers or clamping rollers, or other retaining or pull-down elements to facilitate maintenance of the desired tension of the strip. Despite the above known elements, there remains a very real and substantial need for better automated fast action systems that effectively make the strip travel on the rollers that are rotatingly supporting the strip during movement, without effecting unwanted shore stress , which causes the stretch of the edges of the strip and other undesirable results.

COMPENDIUM OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention has met the need described above, by providing an apparatus and an associated method that will automatically and quickly perform the compensation of the rotary movement of a roller supporting a strip, in order to move laterally pull it to place it at the desired travel location. A preferred form of the apparatus has an axially rotating idler roller on which it will travel the strip while it is under tension. The detection element determines the lateral position of the strip with respect to the desired position, and emits response signals to the control element. Rotating support elements are provided to rotate the roller about a second axis separated and oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of the roller, to create a lateral response movement of the strip. The impulse elements serve to rotate the support elements in response to the reception of the signals from the control element, which indicates that the strip is outside the desired lateral position, in order to move the strip towards the position desired. The rotating support element is positioned at an angle of approximately 45 ° to 80 ° with respect to the plane of the approaching strip, and preferably includes an axially rotating support shaft fixed directly or indirectly secured to the support element, which ensures rotating the roller. The roller is fixedly secured to an axial roller shaft rotatably secured within the support element, such that rotation of the support element around the second axis will effect rotation of the roller about the second axis. A pressure sensing element is provided, (• in order to measure the tension in the strip.

Preferred, this measurement is used to adjust the tension creating element of the strip upstream or downstream of the roller. The method for guiding the strip includes moving the strip under tension on an axially rotating roller, detecting the lateral position of the strip with respect to the roller, and when the position of the strip moves away from a previously determined position, spinning the roller around a second axis oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of the roller, to effect a corrective lateral movement of the strip. The direction of rotation of the roller corresponds to the direction of the necessary correction. In a preferred embodiment for measuring the tension of the strip, an element is provided which employs these measurements to adjust the tension element of the strip disposed upstream or downstream of the roller. It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and an associated method for directing the strip material that is moving and is under tension. It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that minimizes damage to the strip due to improper travel of the strip. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that performs automated rapid adjustment, for ("Maintaining the desired course of the strip, without causing a damaging tension of the edge on the strip." It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that is adapted to establish and maintain the desired tension on the strip. additional of the present invention provide a system that is fast acting and, however, does not risk damaging the strip due to the rapid adjustments that are being made in the path of the course. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that can be created as part of the original equipment, or that can be retrofitted in an existing system. These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partially schematic side elevation of a form of the apparatus of the present invention. Figure 2 is a partially schematic front elevation of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1, shown without the strip.

Figure 3 is a partially schematic side elevation of the apparatus of the present invention, showing the cooperative adjacent apparatus. Figure 4 is a detail of a preferred element for rotating the roller. Figure 5 is a schematic illustration showing a portion of the detection and control elements of the present invention. Figure 6 illustrates a portion of the voltage monitoring apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES t The term "strip", as used herein, means an elongated, unitary piece of material that is sufficiently flexible to wrap around a spool or to form a spool. The strip can be made from a wide range of materials, alloys, and composites and laminates, including, but not limited to, ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, paper and synthetic resinous plastic. The term "guide" or "guide", as used herein, means directing the strip within the desired course of travel. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a cylindrical idler roller 2 having a mating surface of the strip 4, and which is fixedly secured to an axially placed rotary shaft 6, whereby the roller 2 can be subjected to at a free axial rotation about its longitudinal axis while it is supported by the arrow 6.

A strip 10, in the manner shown, has a generally horizontally moving portion 12, which is moving in the direction indicated by arrow A, has a portion between the letters B and C in a surface contact with surface, with the surface of the roller 4, and has a portion projecting in a generally vertical downward direction 16, which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B. In this embodiment, the strip 10 under tension, therefore, is it will approach the roller 2 from a generally horizontal orientation t, and will come out of contact with the roller 2 moving generally vertically downwards. The arrow of the roller 6 is rotatably supported within a pair of bearings or bushings 20, which receive the opposite ends of the arrow 6. The bearings or bushings 20 are supported by, and fixedly secured to, a structural support member generally U-shaped 24, which is on the surface underlying the surface contact with the bearings 20. The support structure 24 is supported by a permanent stationary structural support 40. Fixed securely to the rear portion of the support structure 24 by any desired element, such as welding in an abutment relationship, for example, there is a rotating support shaft 30 that abuts the bearing element 32, 34, which is secured to the support surface 40. The arrow 30 it is supported at the lower end by the bearing block 36. It will be appreciated that the longitudinal axis of the rotary support member 30 is offset from, and oriented generally perpendicular to with respect to, the longitudinal axis of the roller 2, which passes through the arrow 6. The axial rotation of the support shaft 30 in any rotating direction, consequently, will cause the response rotation of the roller 2 about the longitudinal axis of the the arrow 30. The stationary support member 40 supports the pulse element 50, which, in a manner that will be described hereinafter in greater detail, effects the axial rotation of the support shaft 30, to effect the rotation of the roller 2 around the support arrow 30, when the stroke compensation of the strip is desired. The pulse element 50 can take the form of an electric motor or, in the preferred form, of a hydraulic cylinder having an output shaft 52, which is operatively associated with the shaft 30, in a manner that will be described later in FIG. present in detail. In addition, the output arrow of the hydraulic cylinder has a second component 54 that is operatively secured to position the transducer 56, which is supported on the pedestal 58. In a manner to be described later herein, the movement of the arrow output 52 for rotating the supporting arrow 30, performs the corresponding movement of the output arrow 54 and, thus, allows the transducer 56 to emit an electrical response signal corresponding to the rotary position of the arrow 30 and, therefore, to the rotary position of the roller 2 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support shaft 30. As shown in Figure 1, in the downstream portion 16 of the strip 10, the detection element 70 is placed, which it serves to detect the position of the strip with respect to the desired path, and emits signals towards the control element (not shown in this view), which will be discussed later in the preset entity. The control element, when the lateral position of the strip on the roller 2 is not what is desired, will emit a signal towards the impulse element 50, in order to thereby cause the rotary movement of the support arrow 30 in the direction desired, and to the extent desired, to cause the strip 2 to move laterally along the roller 2, to reach the desired lateral position with respect to the roller 2. The impulse element 50 is secured to the fixed support 40 by the element clamp 51. The transducer 56 provides an electrical signal to the control element, to tell the control element when the desired correction has been reached, and thus terminate the operation of the pulse element. The transducer 56, in a preferred embodiment, has a movement component, the movement of this component varying the output of the analog signal to provide a reading of the position of the arrow 30 and the roller 2. Another feature of the invention shown in Figure 1 , is the use of a pressure sensing element 72, which is in underlying contact with the bearing block 8 and, as a result of the axial load on the supporting shaft 30, applies a variable force to the pressure sensing unit 72, to indicate in this way the tension of the strip. This pressure sensing unit 72, which, in the preferred embodiment, can be a load cell, emits a signal that can be used in a manner that will be described later herein, to provide a voltage reading, and adjust the tension in the strip if the tension of the strip is not at a desired level. With reference to Figure 1, the horizontally oriented portion of the strip moves in the direction indicated by arrow A, and the generally vertical segment of strip 16 moves in the direction indicated by arrow B. It will be appreciated that, with In order to minimize any tension or stretching of the bank, the total distance from points A to D on each side of strip 10 must be the same. With the present invention, this distance can change on each side, and is the rotation of the roller about the axis of the supporting arrow 30, in conjunction with the angle of the supporting arrow 30 with respect to the entry and exit strip. , what corrects this distancing. For example, when the arrow is rotated, the distance from point A to point B in figure 1 will decrease on one side, and the distance from point C to point D will increase by the same distance. On the other side of the strip, the distance from point A to point B increases, while the distance from point C to point D decreases by the same distance, thus maintaining the distance from points A to D on both sides or edges of the strip. It will be appreciated that the support arrow 30 is placed in the manner shown in Figure 1 at an angle Y with respect to the plane of the approaching strip 10. In general, the angle Y will be from about 45 ° to 80 ° with respect to to the plane of the approaching strip 10. The angular positioning of the supporting arrow 30 conveniently facilitates and improves the ability of the strip guiding apparatus of the invention to guide and maintain a desired lateral position of the strip 10, tailored that the strip 10 moves under tension. In addition, the angular mounting of the support shaft 30 allows the desired guiding effect of the strip without stressing the edges of the strip 10, and a relatively low tension is required to allow effective operation of the pressure sensing element 72, as shown in FIG. describes in the present. Although in the embodiment stipulated in Figure 1, the strip has been shown and described having a generally moving portion horizontally 12 approaching the point of contact B on the roller 2, and a portion projecting generally vertically downwardly. leaving contact point C, the invention is not limited in this way. For example, the strip 10 can (a) approximate horizontally and exit upwards, downwards, or angularly, or (b) can approximate vertically upwards or downwards, and exit horizontally or angularly, if desired. The positioning of the supporting arrow 30 at an angle of approximately 45 ° to 80 ° with respect to the plane of the approaching strip 10 remains true and accurate for any direction in which the strip 10 may be approaching the guide apparatus of the strip. Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the strip 10 has a section 12 that approaches the roller 2 in a generally horizontal direction, a section in contact with the surface 4 of the roller 2, and has a downwardly extending section 74, which is at an angle with respect to the vertical. The control element 80, which may be in the form of a microprocessor, receives the output signals from the detection element 70 on the conductor 82, which provides an indication of the deviation of the lateral position of the strip 10 with respect to the desired position.

When the lateral position has moved beyond a desired location, the control element 80 issues a signal on the conductor 81 towards the servo valve 154, to initiate the action of the impulse element 50, in order to effect the rotation axially of the support shaft 30, to thereby rotate the roller 2 around the arrow 30. The valve 154 receives hydraulic fluid from the pump 160 in the tube 162, and directs it towards the impulse element 50, either in tube 166 or 168, depending on the desired direction of movement. When the transducer 56 emits a signal on the conductor 86 to the microprocessor 80, indicating that the degree of correction has been reached, the control element terminates the operation of the pulse element 50 by an appropriate signal on the lead 81. In an embodiment , the control element 80 may be an amplifier that raises the voltage or amperage of the output signal of the transducer to the correct amperage and voltage necessary to operate the servo valve 154. Referring to the left portion of FIG. 3, a spool 100 has a portion 102 of the strip 10 emerging from it, and passing through a pair of brake rollers 104, 106, in order to facilitate the establishment of the desired tension in the strip 10. The reading of the voltage in the pressure sensing element 72 produces an output on the lead 110 to the digital indicator controller 120, which sends an appropriate signal to the controller of the voltage brake pulse motor 114. The signal emitted from the digital indicator controller 120 to the brake pulse motor controller 114 is proportional to the tension of the strip, and any deviation in the desired voltage causes the signal, thereby making the brake roller drive motor 116, which is mechanically connected by the arrow 118 to the brake roller assembly 104, 106, increase or decrease the torque of the motor and, consequently, the tension of the strip in response. Strip segment 16 is rewound on reel 120 to re-establish a reel. It will be appreciated that, between coil 100 and coil 120, any desired processing for the strip has been performed, and that the unit of this invention facilitates an immediate, accurate and rapid travel of the strip with respect to the desired lateral position. . If desired, more than one unit of the present invention may be employed in a processing line. It will be appreciated that, where the system is not to be used to monitor the voltage, it may be eliminated to be characteristic, including the pressure sensing element 72 and the associated controls. Referring now to Figure 4, additional details will be considered with respect to the element for rotating the support shaft 30. The impulse element, in the shape of the hydraulic cylinder 50, is shown secured to the support member 40 by the element Clamp 51. The arrow 52 emerging from one side of the hydraulic cylinder 50 engages the opening connector member 122, which is pivotally secured to the plate type member 128 by suitable mechanical fasteners, such as a bolt member 130, the plate type member 128 is fixedly fixed to the arrow 130. It will be appreciated that, as the arrow 52 reciprocates in and out of the cylinder housing 50, a responsive rotation of the supporting arrow 30 will the directions indicated by the double-pointed arrow C. The transducer member 59 will similarly be subjected to a translation movement of a movable component therefrom. ia and away from the housing of the hydraulic cylinder 50, through the movement of the arrow 54, whose movement will provide an electrical signal that varies according to the position of the movable transducer component on the conductor 86, to provide a signal on when it has been reached the desired rotation of the roller 2 around the second axis. It is contemplated that the degree of rotation in any direction of the supporting arrow 30 and, as a result, of the roller 2, will be up to about 15 degrees, with up to about 5 degrees being preferred.

Referring to Figure 5, the detection element 70 is shown which, in the manner shown, is from a pair of non-contact conductivity sensors 140, 142, which measure portions of a metal strip 16 that are not on the shore , and emit signals on the respective conductors 144, 146 towards the control element 80, which may be a suitable microprocessor programmed in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. One suitable form of the sensor 140, 142 for the metal strip is that sold under the trade designation North American H3119. When the sensor element 70 emits signals on the conductors 144, 146, in such a way that, when the control element 80 compares them to the desired position of the strip 16, indicating that the strip is not traveling as desired, a signal of output from the controller element 80 on the conductor 156 to the servo valve 154, allows the flow of fluid on the line 160 from the fluid pump 162. In this embodiment, the control element 80 can be an amplifier that controls the valve of servo 154. When supplied from the control element 80 to the valve 154 on the electrical conductor 156, a signal indicating that the support shaft 30 must be rotated, the pump 160 supplies fluid through the tube 162 to the hydraulic cylinder 50 in the tube 166, or in the tube 168, depending on the direction in which the supporting arrow 30 should rotate.

For a strip that is not electrically conductive, the sensors may be edge sensors of the type known in the art, such as light sources cooperating with electro-optical sensors, or a type of air that detects changes in back pressure in the air current. Referring to Figure 6, there is shown an element for using the pressure cushion or the load sensor 72 to control the tension in the strip. The signal emitted from the load cell 72 responds to the tension on the strip 10, as shown in Figure 1, transmitted by the support arrow 30 through the bearing block 82 to the pressure cushion 72. The output of the load cell in the form of the electrical signal on the conductor 170, enters the control element 150, and, where an alteration in the tension of the strip is desired, the control element 150 on the conductor 174 emits a signal which energizes the motor 116, which, through the output shaft 118, effects a desired change in tension as a result of the physical movement of the brake rollers 104, 106. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a fast and effective means to maintain the desired path of a strip that moves under tension at a fast speed in an automatic and effective way. Also, to the desired degree, tension can also be monitored and controlled. All this is done in an effective and reliable way. Although for greater convenience of reference herein, reference has been made to a idler roller 2, if desired, the invention can be employed with a roller that is driven by an electric, hydraulic or air motor, for example. Although the particular embodiments of the invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details may be made without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.

Claims (24)

1. A strip guiding apparatus for maintaining a desired lateral position of the strip, which comprises: an axially rotating roller on which the strip will travel, while the strip is under tension, a detection element for determining a lateral position of the strip; pull with respect to the desired lateral position; a control element for receiving signals from the detection element, related to the lateral position of the strip; a rotary support element for rotating the roller about a second axis, in order to create a lateral response movement of the strip on the roller, the second axis extending generally perpendicular to the axis of the roller, the support element being placed on an angle of approximately 45 ° to 80 ° with respect to the plane of approach of the strip to the strip guiding apparatus; and a pulse element for rotating the support element in response to receipt of a signal from the control element indicating that the strip is deviating from the desired lateral position on the roller, in order to move the strip towards the desired position.

2. The strip guide apparatus of the claim 1, which includes: the said rotating support member including an axially rotating support shaft; the roller being secured to an axially positioned support shaft that is rotatably secured within a support member; and the rotating arrow being connected to the support element, such that the rotation of the support shaft will effect the rotation of the arrow response of the roller about the second axis.

3. The strip guiding apparatus of the claim 2, which includes: the drive element having an element for rotating the rotating support shaft in any rotating direction.

4. The strip guide apparatus of the claim 3, which includes: the drive element having an element for rotating the rotating shaft to approximately 15 ° in each direction. The strip guide apparatus of claim 2, which includes: a pressure sensing element operatively associated with the rotating support shaft, to facilitate the determination of the tension in the strip. 6. The strip guide apparatus of claim 5, which includes: the pressure sensing element being a load cell. The strip guide apparatus of claim 1, which includes: the sensor element having a pair of contactless conductivity sensing elements, which emit signals towards the control element when the strip is not in the desired lateral position . The strip guide apparatus of claim 7, which includes: monitoring the detection element portions of the strip different from its longitudinal edges. 9. The strip guide apparatus of claim 1, which includes: the drive element being a hydraulic cylinder element. 10. The strip guide apparatus of claim 1, which includes: the sensing element having an element for detecting the position of the metal strip. The strip guide apparatus of claim 10, which includes: the downstream sensing element being disposed with respect to the direction of travel of the strip from the roll. 12. The strip guide apparatus of the claim 5, which includes: an element for supplying signals containing information with respect to the tension of the strip, to the upstream element with respect to the direction of travel of the strip from the roller, to facilitate maintenance of the desired tension in strip. The strip guide apparatus of claim 1, which includes: a transducer element for monitoring the degree of rotation of the roller about the second axis. 14. A method for guiding a strip that moves on a roller that rotates about its longitudinal axis, wherein the strip is under tension, which comprises: detecting a lateral position of the strip with respect to a desired lateral position, and employing a rotating support element for rotating the roller about a second axis, in order to performing the corrective lateral movement of the strip, when the position of the strip moves away from the desired lateral position, the second axis extending generally perpendicular to the axis of the roller, the support element being placed at an angle of approximately 45 ° to 80 ° with with respect to the plane of the strip approaching the guidance device. The method of claim 14, which includes: effecting rotation of the roller about the second axis in any rotating direction, depending on the desired correction direction. The method of claim 15, which includes: performing the rotation of the roller about the second axis to approximately 15 °. The method of claim 16, which includes: performing rotation about the second axis, by rotating an arrow of the support member, this arrow being operatively associated with the element supporting the roller. The method of claim 17, which includes: employing a control element to effect the rotation of the arrow about the second axis in response to the signals received by the control element from the detection element. The method of claim 18, which includes: performing detection downstream of the roller with respect to the direction of travel of the strip. The method of claim 19, which includes: positioning the roller in such a manner that the strip approaches from a generally horizontal direction, and exits in a generally downward direction. The method of claim 20, which includes: simultaneously with the detection of the strip element, measuring the tension of the strip as it moves on the roller. 22. The method of claim 14, which includes: supplying voltage measurement signals to the tension adjustment element, to effect the adjustment of the voltage when desired. 23. The method of claim 15, which includes: employing this method with metal strip. The method of claim 14, which includes: employing a transducer element to detect the degree of rotation of the roller about the second axis.