US2345132A

US2345132A - Tensiometer

Info

Publication number: US2345132A
Application number: US374506A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerhard P Lessmann; Paul C Lottes
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1941-01-15
Filing date: 1941-01-15
Publication date: 1944-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1961-03-28

Description

March 28, 1944. G. P. LEssMANN rs1-A1.

TENSIOMETER Filed Jan. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l |NvENToRs fl WITNEISSES! JMW ATTOR EY w I W March 2s, 1,944. G, R ESSMANN Em 2,345,132

Patented Mar. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIC TENSIOMETER vania Application January 15, 1941, Serial No. 374,506

(Cl. 265-L6) 1I) Claims.

Our invention relates, generally, to tensiometers, and, more particularly, to tensioning devices and indicating means for subjecting a strip of material to tension and indicating the degree of strip tension as the strip passes between adjacent work devices.

In the operation of steel strip rolling mills, it is common practice to subject the strip to tension as it extends between adjacent roll stands and/or between a roll stand and an adjacent roll by causing a tensioning roller to bear against and apply a transverse force to the strip.

Such tensioning rollers are usually arranged to be actuated by a single operating device which rigidly connects the two end bearings of the tensioning roller and thereby imparts the same movement to both ends oil the tensioning roller. Means are also commonly provided for causing the strip tension to vary with. the strip deflection so that the strip deectionis a measure of the strip tension. Such a tensioning device is shown in the copending application of G. P. Lessmann, Serial No. 252,934, led January 26, 1939, now Patent No. 2,250,540, issued July 29, 1941.

Differences in the screw-down settings of the two ends of the reducing rolls results in a difierence of strip reduction from one side of thev strip to the other, and, even though the desired total tension may be applied tothe strip, all or most of the tension may be applied to one side of the strip and there may be such an-unbalance ofthe strip tension as to tear the strip at the point where the greatest tension is applied.

An object of our invention isfto provide a :strip tensioningY and tension indicating device which shall function to indicate Ythe total strip tension and the tension differential between the .two sides of the strip, which shall function to' limit the tension differential to predetermined .adjustable amounts, which shall be simple in ccn-y struction, Iand simple andv efficient inoperation.

These andY other objects and advantages of` the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description talsenV in connection with thel accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure- 1 -is a front elevation view,` partly in section, of a tensiometer embodying thev principal features of our-invention, Y

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation view of theindicator actuating mechanismassociated with the tensiometer of Fig. 1, Y

Fig. 3' is a front=elevationview-of the mecha-` nismshownlin Fig.2,`V

CII

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an elevation view, partly in section, of an adjustable relative displacement limiting coupling which is a part of the mechanism of Fig; 1,

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the bearing mounting for the end of the tensioning roller of Fig. 1,

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic representation of an indicating system associated with thetensiometer of Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional viewsA onl the lines VIII and IX of Fig. 1.

, 1n practicing the invention, a tensionroller I6 has its ends rotatably mounted on supporting members' I2 and I4 which are pivctally mounted and actuated by power units I6 and I8 to cause the tensioning roller to apply a transverse' force to the strip as it extends between adjacent roll stands of a strip rolling mill or between a roll stand and an adjacent reel to thus subject Vthe strip to tension. Spherical bearing members, a sectional view of one of which is showny in Fig. 6, and disposed between the endsl ofthe tensioning roller and the supporting members I2 and I4 to permit freedom of independent movement of the separate ends of the tensioning roller I0.

Tht strip deflecting movements of the separate ends of the tensioning roller I0 are'transmittedto a shaft 20 and a sleeve 22 concentric therewith, respectively, and these movements are transmitted by the shaft and sleeve to an indicator actuating mechanism 24 disposed in a casing 26. The indicator actuating mechanism- 24 functions to actuate remote indicator actuating means such as synchro-tie transmitters in accordance with the differential between Vthe deflections of the two side portions ofthe strip by the tensioning roller and the `sum of the deflections of the two side portions of the strip. An adjustable coupling 28 disposed between the shaft 2li and the sleeve 22 functions to limit the differential between the degrees of deflection of thev two edge portions of the strip.

A remote indication system shown diagrammatically in Fig. '7 functions to give anindicaj tion at a suitable remote point of thel diiferential between the deeetions of the two edge portions of the strip and the sum of the deectionsof the two edge portions of the strip. K

Thevoperating parts of the `tensioning; device are mounted on bracket members Strand-32 which are connected by a beam member 34 Vand which are adjustably mounted on the-housings 35Y and 38 of a strip rolling mill or other worlcdevice,y

Considering the invention more in detail, the ends of the tension roller I are supported by their respective supporting members I2 and I4 by spherical bearings, the details of the bearing associated with the supporting member I4 being shownvinFig. 6. The bearing may comit prise an outer bearing member 40 having an inner spherical bearing surface cooperating with a spherical bearing surface on the outer race 42 of a roller bearing unit. The rollers 44 of the bearing unit engage the outer race 42 and the inner race 46, the inner race being attached to the end member 48 of the tension roller I0. The bearings are held in place on the supporting members I2 and I4 by means of

cap members

50 and 52 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The sleeve member 22 and the shaft 20 are rotatably supported on bracket members 54 and 56 which, in turn, are secured in any suitable manner to the

bracket members

30 and 32. The sleeve member 22 may be fixedly secured to the roller supporting member I4 in any suitable manner-such as by a key member I5 as shown in. Fig. 8 so that the movement of the supporting member I4 by the power unit I8 will cause rotational movement of the sleeve member 22. Likewise, the shaft 20 may be secured by a key member I3 to the supporting member I2 to provide rotational movement of the shaft 20 when the supporting member I2 is actuated by the power unit I6.

The power units I6 and I8, aV section of one of which is shown in Fig.` 1, may comprise a cylinder member 58 having an extension 60 which extends into a slot in the supporting member I4 and is pivotally attached thereto by a pin member 62. The cylinder member 58 is actuated by a coil spring 64 which reacts against a piston 66 mounted upon a tubular piston stem 68 which extends through a cover member 'I0 of the cylinder 58. The piston stem 68 has bearing members I2 and 'I4 secured thereto by any suitable means such as by welding and these bearing members cooperate with knife edge bearing members I6 and I8 to support the piston stem on the shelf portion 80 of the bracket 32. A damping cylinder 82 is secured toan extension of the piston stem 68 and has a piston member therein operated by a piston stem 84 secured to the cylinder 5B and operating in a damping uid to prevent too rapid motion of the tensioning roller.

The sleeve member 22 and the shaft 20 extend into the casing 26, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. An arm member 85 having a rack segment 88 secured thereto is secured to the shaft 20 for rotation therewith. An arm member 80 is secured to the sleeve member 22 for rotation therewith and has a shelf member 62 attached thereto. A motion transmitting device such as a synchro-tie transmitter 94 is mounted upon the shelf member 92 and has a shaft 06 upon which there is mounted a pinion 98 in cooperative relation with the rack segment 88. A second rack segment |00 is mounted upon theV arm member 86 A third arm member |02 is rotatably mounted upon the sleeve member 22 and has a rack segment1|04 thereon. A shaft member |06 is rotatably mounted on the arm 80 and has mounted thereon gear members |08 and IiD cooperatively engaging the rack segments |08 and |04, respectively, the diameter of -the gear members |08 and' ||0 having the ratio of 2 to 1. A motion transmitting device I I2 is mounted on the bracket 32-byfabracket I|4 and is operatively conneoted to the rack segment |04 by means of a shaft member I|6 and a gear member ||8 which engages the rack segment |04.

The motion transmitting devices 94 and II2 may be synchro-tie transmitters which are commonly known in the art connected with receiving units |20 and |22, respectively, which' may be synchro-tie receiver units and which operate indicator devices |24 and |26, respectively.

In the operation of the device, the spring member 64 exerts an upward force upon the operating arms I2 and I4 to cause the tensioning roller I0 to bear against a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices such as adjacent strip rolling mill stands, or a strip rolling mill stand and an adjacent reel, to thus subject the strip to tension. The tension to which the strip is subjected will be a function of the position of the tensioning rcller I0 and the ldifferential between the tension on the two edge portions of the strip, will cause different deflections of the two edge portions of the strip by the tension roller I0. The deflections of the two edge portions of the strip are a function of the angular displacement of the shaft 20 and the sleeve member 22 which are transmitted to the indicator actuating mechanism 24.

The rotation of the shaft 20 will cause thhe arm 86 to rotate carrying with it the rack segment 88 and transmitting its movement to the pinion 98. The rotation of the sleeve 22 in the same direction will cause the arm 90 to rotate in the same direction carrying with it the pinion 98 causing the pinion to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation caused by the movement of the rack 88 by the shaft 20. Thus the pinion 98 and the position transmitting device 94 operated thereby will assume a position which'is a measure of the relative angular displacements of the shaft 20 and the sleeve 22 and the indication transmitted by the position transmitting device 94 to the instrument |24 will be a function of the differential tension across the width of the strip which' is acted upon by the tension roller I0. The scale of the indicating device |24 may accordingly be graduated in strip tension and the diiferential strip tension may be read directly therefrom.

The rotation of the shaft 20 will cause the rack segment |00 to drive the gear member |08 which, in turn, will drive the gear member IIO and the gear member ||0 will rotate the arm |02 through its engagement with the rack segment |04. As the arm member 90 is rotated by the sleeve 22, it will carry with it both of the gear members |08 and IIO 'thus causing further displacement of the arm |02 by the engagement of the gear. member IIO with ,the rack segment |04 and the movement of the shaft |06 with the arm 90.'

Thus it will be seen that, with the ratio of the diameters of the gears |08 and III) equal to 2 to 1, equal angular displacementsl of the

arms

86 and 90 will cause equal displacements of the arm |02 and that the displacement of the arm |02 will be proportional to the valgebraic sum of the angular displacements of the

arms

86 and 90.

Thus the movement of the arm |02 will be proportional to the sum of the angular displacements of the shaft 20 and the sleeve`22 and this movement will be transmitted through the gear member ||8` andthe motion transmitting device] I2 to the indicator |26 which may be graduated to indicate the total tension on the stripA which is acted upon by tensioning roller I0.

The adjustable coupling 28, as shown in Fig. 5, is provided to limit the relative displacement of the shaft 20 with respect to the sleeve 22 and comprises a sleeve member |28 secured to the shaft 20 by any suitable means such as a key |30 and having substantially V-shaped indentations |32 in one edge thereof. A sleeve member |34 having protuberances |36- extending i-nto and shaped similar to the indentations |32-is mounted for rotation with the sleeve member 22 by a key member |38. It will be seen that the allowable relative angular displacement between the shaft 26 and the sleeve 22 is controlled by the circumferential spacing of the edge portions |39 `and |40 of the sleeve. members |34 and |28 respectively, and that this spacing may be adjusted by axially moving the sleeve member |134.. The axial movemen-t of the sleeve member |34 is provided by a collar member-IM threaded upon the sleeve 22 and coupled With the sleeve member |34 by means of a collar` |42 which; has sliding engagement with circumferential slots in the sleeve member |34 and the collar member |4|. A second collar member |44vserves asv a locking member -for theV collar member t4! to prevent rotation thereof. Thus as theV collar member |4| is rotated by its threaded engagement with the sleeve member 22, it will cause the axial movement ofthe sleeve member |34 to vary the spacing-between the surfaces |39` andk |40 to thus vary the limit of the relative angular displacement of the sleeve member 22 in the shaft 26.

A suitable cover |46 for the adjustable tube 28 is secured to the sleeve member |28.

mill housings

36 and 38 by means of bolts |14, |16, |73 and |86 whichk are secured to the millhousings and,extend throug`h slots in the brackets 3S and 32. A gauge is provided for indicating the vertical position of the tensioning device and comprises a gauge scale |82 secured to the ,mill housing 36 by means of a bracket |84 and cooperating witha mark |786 on the bracket 30 to indicate. the relative position of the :bracket 3U andthe mill housingt. v t

Thus it will :be seen that we have provided a tensioning device for a strip rolling mill which shall function to subject the two edge portions of a strip to tension in accordance with the strip deections and which shall function to indicate the total tension on .thev strip and. the tension differential between the two edge portions of the strip.`

In. compliance with thev requirements of the patent statutes, lwe have shown and described herein the-preferred embodiment of our invention. It is to be understood, however, that the inventionA is not limited to the precise construetion shown and described but is capableof Inodifcation by one skilled in the art, the embodiment herein shown being merely` illustrative of the principles of our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deflecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, means rotatably mounting said sleeve member in a position displaced from and substantially parallel with said roller, a shaft memberv substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deflecting force to the strip and indicating means actuated by said sleeve member and said shaft.

2. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deflecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end o-f the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, means rotatably mounting said sleeve member in a position displaced from and substantially parallel with saidroller, a shaft member substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to` said sleeve member -for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deecting force to the strip,-said actuating means comprising means for varying the strip tension as a function of the degree of deflection of the strip and indicating means actuated by saidv sleeve member and said shaft.

3. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleevemember, a shaft member, means rotatablyvr mounting said shaft member in aposition displaced from the tensioning roller and substantiallyconcentric with and extending-beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of'said supporting-arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, and separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deflecting force to the strip, said actuating means comprising means for varying the strip tension as a function of the degree of deiiection of the strip, and means. responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and `said shaft member.y for automaticallyidetermining: theA total. strip,.tensioni l and: lthe tension differential between the two edge portions of the strip.

4. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, means rotatably mounting said sleeve member in a-position displaced from and substantially parallel with said roller, a shaft member substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deiiecting force to the strip, and means responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and said shaft member for automatically determining the sum of the deflections and the difference between the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip.

5. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, means rotatably mounting said sleeve member in a position displaced from and substantially parallel with said roller, a shaft member substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supportingarms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deecting force to the strip, and means responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and said shaft member for automatically determining the sum of the deflections and the difference between the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip, said deflection determining means comprising a first arm member and a second arm member secured to said shaft member and said sleeve member respectively for rotation therewith, a first rack member secured to one of said arm members, a rst gear member rotatably mounted upon the otherarminernber and disposed to operatively engage said* racl;` member, a third arm member, means mounting said-thirdarm member for rotation concentric with said shaft member and said sleeve member, a second rack member secured to said third arm member, -a pair of gear members rotatably mounted on said other arm member in driving relation with each other and each disposed in operative engagement with a different one of said rack members, means responsive to the movement of said flrst gear member for indicating thediierential between the deiiections of the two edge portions of the strip, and means responsive to the movement of'said third arm member for indicating the sum of the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip.

6. In a devicefor tensioning a strip of material as'it extends between adjacent work devices, a

tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deflecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, a shaft member, means rotatably mounting said shaft member in a p0- sition displaced from said roller and substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deecting force to the strip, said actuating means comprising means for varying the strip tension as a function of the degree of deflection of the strip, and means responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and said shaft member for automatically determining the total strip tension and the tension differential between the tWo edge portions of the strip, said tension determining means comprising a first arm member and a second arm member secured to said shaft member and said sleeve member respectively for rotation therewith, a first rack member secured to one of said arm members, a first gear member rotatably mounted upon the other arm member and disposed to operatively engage said rack member, a third arm member, means mounting said third arm member for rotation'concentric with said shaft member and said sleeve member, a second rack member secured to said third arm memlber, a pair of gear members rotatably mounted on said other arm member in driving relation with each other and each disposed in operative engagement with a different one of said rack members, means responsive to movement of said rst gear member for indicating the differential between the tensions on the two edge portions of the strip, and means responsive to the movement of said third arm for indicating the sum of the tensions on the two edge portions of the strip.

7. In a'device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deflecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, means rotatably mounting said Vsleeve member in a position displaced from and substantially parallel with said roller, a shaft member substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deiieoting force to the strip, and means responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and said shaft member for automatically determining the sum of the deflectionsand the diierence between the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip, said deflection determining means comprising a first arm member and a second arm member secured to said shaft mem-v ber and said sleeve member respectively for rotation therewith, a Vfirst rack member secured.

to one of said arm members, a first gear member rotatably mounted upon the other arm member and disposed to operatively engage said rack member, a third arm member, means mounting said third arm member for rotation concentric with said shaft member and said sleeve member, a second rack member secured to said third arm member, a pair of gear members rotatably mounted on said other arm member in driving relation with each other and each disposed in operative engagement with a diiferent one of said rack members, a first electrical position transmitting device mounted on said other arm member and connected in operative relation with said rst gear member, a second electrical position transmitting device disposed to be operated by said third arm member, first and second electrical position receiving means connected in cooperative circuit relation with said rst and second electrical position transmitting devices, and indicating means actuated .by said rst and second receiving means for indicating the differential between the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip and the sum of the deflections of the two edge portions of the strip respectively.

8. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to `bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deiiecting it from the line between the work devices, a supporting arm adjacent each end of said tensioning roller, means rotatably mounting each end of the tensioning roller on its adjacent supporting arm, a sleeve member, a shaft member, means rotatably mounting said shaft member in a position displaced from the roller and substantially concentric with and extending beyond said sleeve member, means securing one of said supporting arms to said sleeve member for rotation therewith, means securing said other 'supporting arm to said shaft member for rotation therewith, separate means for actuating said supporting arms to thereby cause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse deecting force to the strip, said actuating means comprising means for varying the strip tension as a function of the degree of deiiection of the strip, and means responsive to the degree of rotation of said sleeve member and said shaft member for automatically determining the total strip tension and the tension dierential between the two edge portions of the strip, said tension determining means comprising a first arm member and a second arm member secured to said shaft member and said sleeve member respectively for rotation therewith, a first rack member secured to one of said arm members, a rst gear member rotatably mounted upon the other arm member and disposed to operatively engage said rack member, a third arm member, means mounting said third arm member for rotation concentric with said shaft member and said sleeve member, a. second rack member secured to said third arm member, a pair of gear members rotatably mounted on said other arm member in driving relation with each other and each disposed in operative engagement with a dierent one of said racl members, a rst electrical position transmitting device mounted on said other arm memberv and connected in operative relation with said first gear member, a second electrical position transmitting device disposed to be operated by said third arm, rst and second electrical position receiving means connected in cooperative circuit relation with said first and second electrical position transmitting devices, and indicating means actuated by said iirst and second receiving means for indicating the differential between the tensions on the two edge portions of thelstrip, and the sum of the tensions on the two edge portions of the strip respectively.

9; In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and subject it to tension by deecting it from the line between the work devices, separate actuating means for moving each end of said tensioning roller to cause the tensioning roller to apply a transverse deilecting force to the strip, and mutually cooperating stop means mounted upon the separate actuating means and so disposed as to limit the strip defiecting motion of either end of the tensioning roller with respect to the other end to thereby limit the deection differential between the two edge portions of the strip to predetermined adjustable amounts.

10. In a device for tensioning a strip of material as it extends between adjacent work devices, a tensioning roller disposed to bear against the strip and thus subject it to tension by deecting it from the line between the work devices, two separate rigid support members each disposed adjacent a dilerent end of said tensioning roller and each mounted adjacent one end thereof for independent rotational movement about a common axis, means rotatably mounting each end of said roller on its adjacent support member intermediate the ends thereof, separate actuating means pivotally attached to the free ends of the support members for rotating each of said support members about the common axis to therebypcause said tensioning roller to apply a transverse dei'lecting force to the strip, said actuating means comprising -means for varying the strip tension as a function of the degree of deection of the strip, and means including electrical position transmitting apparatus mechanically actuated by the support members and in accordance with the relative rotational movements thereof and electrical position receiving apparatus responsive thereto for indicating the diierence in the degree of deflection of the two side edges of the strip to thereby measure the tension differential between said two side edges.

, GERHARD P. LESSMANN.

PAUL C. LOTTES.