US2467071A

US2467071A - Adjustable mechanism for tube mill rolls

Info

Publication number: US2467071A
Application number: US706150A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nelson D Abbey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-10-28
Filing date: 1946-10-28
Publication date: 1949-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1966-04-12

Description

April 12, 1949. N. D. ABBEY 2,467,071

ADJUSTABLE MECHANISM FOR TUBE MILL ROLLS Filed Oct. 28, 1946 2 Shets-Sheet 1 ITj-l- 1 INVENTOR. NBLEUNZZABBEY 9 WLZJ/M Ap 2, 1949. N. D. ABBEY 2,467,071

ADJUSTABLE MECHANISM FOR TUBE MILL ROLLS Filed 001,. 28, .1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITS-4k v FIE-3- IN VEN TOR. NFL SUN 17 ABBEY rolls is laterall Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,467,071 ADJUSTABLE MECHANISM FOR TUBE lVIILL ROLLS Nelson D.- Abbey, Toledo, Ohio Application October 28, 1946, Serial No. 706,150

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to the manufacture of .metal tubing and particularly to a tube mill in which substantially a continuous metal ribbon is shaped into tube form and then seamed.

The invention has for an object the production of a new and improved assembly employing cooperating forming rolls between which the metal strip is guided and shaped into tubular form.

Other objects of this invention are to produce ina tubing mill a forming roll assembly having a pair of cooperating rolls adapted to be adjusted vertically and laterally with respect to each other by new and improved means; to enable vertical adjustment of one roll relative to the other rapidly and accurately to be made in a novel and eflicient manner; and to enable minute lateral or axial adjustment of one roll relative to the other rapidly and accurately to be made without the necessity of using troublesome and time consuming spacing devices.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in the novel features of the construction, arrangement, and operation as will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is avertical sectional view of a forming roll assembly;

Figure 2 is a sectional line 22 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

I Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the roll housing, and

Figure 5 is a. fragmentary elevation showing a pair of forming rolls misaligned or out of operative relation to each other.

In the usual tube mill a plurality of cooperating pairs of grooved forming rolls are employed to engage portions of an interposed metal strip. The rolls of each pair are annularly con-toured in such manner that upon engagement with the view taken along the -metal strip, it is worked in stages gradually to be transformed from a flat metal strip into a continuous tube. The stepwise formation, as effected by the operation of successive pairs of rolls, enables tubing continuously and rapidly to be produced from an endless metal ribbon.

. Manifestly such successive high speed operations present many factors affecting not only the quality of the product, but the continuity of the process.

For example, if one roll of a pair of forming y offset from the other, as illus- 2 trated in Figure 5 of the drawings, the side thrust operating on the interposed rapidly moving metal strip is such as will cause the material to shift in the lateral direction and jump from between the forming rolls, thereby to interrupt the process. Even though the metal strip may not become unthreaded, as when the material is substantially enclosed by the contoured forming rolls in the latter stages of the process, the effect of the offset is improperly to Work the strip in a manner to produce an unsuitable tube due to out of roundness, and to produce surface imperfections as a result of the ironing action between the metal strip and the offset rolls. Instances also irequently arise wherein an interchange of rolls is desired, or variation of the operating pressure between the rolls and material is necessitated, and in such instances it is expedient to provide means enabling vertical adjustment of one roll support relative to the other without disturbing their driving relation or alignment.

For such purposes, I provide for each pair of forming rolls a roll housing having a driving shaft and a driven shaft on which the pair of rolls are respectively mounted, the driven shaft being adapted bodily to be adjusted radially or vertically and longitudinally or axially relative to the driving shaft without disturbing their driving relation or alignment. This enables one roll of each pair to be adjusted radially or axially with respect to the other roll. 7

Since each roll housing is substantially the same, the principal difference between the various sets of rolls residing in the contour of the rolls, a description of one assembly is considered sufiicient.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated upper and lower cooperating forming rolls l0 and H fixed to the end portions of upper and lower shafts l2 and i3 respectively which extend longitudinally through and are journaled in a roll housing H. The roll housing is formed of upright front and rear frame plates 14 and I5 seated in grooves l6 and I1 respectively in a sub base or platform I8. Integral frame arms l9 and 20 extending upwardly in parallel relation from the upper end portions of each frame plate l4 and i5 divide the roll housing into upper and lower sections 2| and 22 respectively, (Figure 3), and mounted in the upper end of each frame arm is a gear housing 23.

The upper shaft 12 is journaled in a floating section 24, and is adapted to be vertically and longitudinally adjusted relative to the upper frame section 2|, but the lower shaft I3 is stationarily journaled in the lower frame section 22. Thus, by means later to be described, the upper shaft is vertically and longitudinally adjusted relative to the lower shaft.

The forming rolls l and II are each keyed to reduced end portions of their respective shafts and these end portions project outwardly beyond the front frame plate l4. Sleeves or

spacers

26 and 21 on each shaft respectively are interposed between a shoulder 28, formed by the reduced end portion, and the adjacent roll, and also between the opposite face of each roll and an end nut 29 which threadably engages a threaded end portion 3|] on each shaft. Removal of either roll is made possible by unscrewing the respective end nut 29 and removal of the spacer 2?.

Roller bearing units 3| and 32 in the front and rear frame plates l4 and I5 respectively engage spaced portions of the lower shaft l3, thereby to enable free rotational movement.

A lock nut 33 which threadably engages a threaded portion 34 of the shaft l3 abuts the lower race of the bearing unit 32 to operate as a stop preventing rearward shifting movement thereof. The inner race of the bearing unit 3| abuts a shoulder 35 on the shaft l3 and prevents forward shifting movement of the shaft. Interposed between the bearings 3| and 32 are spacers or sleeves 36 and 31. The spacer 31 is disposed between the forward end of the lower race of the bearing unit 32 and a spur gear 38 which is keyed to an intermediate portion of the shaft. The spacer 3B is disposed between the other side of the gear 38 and the rearward end portion of the lower race of the bearing unit 3|. Thus, it will be apparent that the lower shaft I3 is held against axial or radial movements but is free to rotate.

Cap members

39 and 40 are suitably secured 6| rectangular in cross section and of substantial thickness dimensionably adapted slidingly to fit between the forward and rearward frame arms respectively and to be flush with the front end rear edges thereof. Roller bearing

units

62 and 63 mounted in central apertures in the housing plates 60 and El respectively support the upper roll shaft |'2 to enable free rotational movement. Similarly assembled, as described with reference to the lower roll shaft l3, a lock nut 64 secured to the threaded end portion 65 of the shaft,

spacers

66 and 61, and a spur gear 68 keyed to an intermediate portion of the shaft |2 between the spacers, are disposed on the shaft. As assembled, the above parts are not moveable longitudinally or vertically relative to each other.

Cap members

69 and 10 are bolted to opposite sides of the plate 60 to conceal the opening in which the bearing unit 62 is mounted. An annular flange H in each cap member engages the peripheral edge portions of the plate aperture to prevent relative vertical shifting movement, and is spaced from the side walls respectively of the upper race of the bearing 62 to enable limited longitudinal shifting movement thereof. To enable vertical adjustment but to militate against rearward shifting movement of the entire floating section 24, the lateral edge portions of the front cap member 69 overlaps a portion of the front wall of the frame arms l9 and 2|].

A sleeve 12 is interposed between the outer race of the roller bearing unit 63 and the wall of the aperture in the rear plate 6|. An inwardly extending flange 13 integral with the forward end of the sleeve 12 engages the forward end wall of the upper race of the bearing unit 63. An annular sleeve 74 extending forwardly from a cover plate fits within the sleeve 12 and bears against the rear end wall of the upper race of the bearto the front and rear faces respectively of the 40 ing unit 63. The ends of the sleeves l2 and 14 front frame plate [4 and substantially enclose ,the opening 4| in which the roller bearing unit 3| and the shaft l3 are mounted. An annular flange 42 on each cap'member firmly engages the peripheral wall defining the opening 4| in the frame plate and abuts opposite side walls of the upper race of the bearing unit 3|, thereby to prevent longitudinal shifting movement of the beargages the inner periphery of the opening 43 to,

cooperate in preventing shifting movement, but they do not extend.

Bolted onto the rearward end portion of the cap member 44 is a housing 4'! into which the rear end portion of the lower shaft I3 extends. The outer end of the housing 41 is closed by a cover plate 48 removably held thereon by bolts 49. Extending transversely through the lower portion of the housing 4! is a power driven shaft 50 having a worm 5| in engagement with a worm gear 52. The worm gear 52 is keyed to a reduced end portion 53 of the shaft I3. The worm gear 52 abuts a shoulder 54 formed by the reduction in shaft diameter, while the other side is engaged by an end cap 55 secured to the shaft I3 by bolts 56. Normally, the housing 4'! is packed with a lubricant, such as grease, which is prevented from leaking into the roll housing by a sealing ring 51.

The floating section 24 mounting the upper shaft l2 comprises a pair of housing plates and are connected by bolts 15a, thus the upper shaft and the entire sleeve assembly is adapted to move bodily longitudinally of the floating section, the movement being limited by the spacings between the sleeve and shaft parts and the adjacent flanged surfaces of the cap members.

Another cap member 16 is secured to the forward wall of the plate 6| to conceal the opening therein, an annular flange 11a on the cap member 16 being spaced from the sleeve 12 to enable the longitudinal adjustment previously mentioned. It may be here pointed out that the required longitudinal shaft adjustment in order to eifect the desired relative position between rolls is ordinarily very small, preferably not exceeding of an inch.

Controlled longitudinal or axial adjustment of the shaft l2 relative to its housing is effected by means of a non rotatable set screw 11. The head 18 of the set screw fits in a correspondingly shaped socket in the rear wall of the plate 6| and is held in place by means of a cap member 19 suitably secured to the plate 6|. The lateral edge portions of the cap member 19 overlap the rear wall of the associated frame arms and assist in guiding the floating section vertically but militate against relative forward shifting movement thereof. The threaded shank of the set screw extends through and threadedly engages an ear 8| integral with and extending upwardly from the sleeve 12. Lock nuts-82 and 83 engage opposite sides of the ear and by loosening one and tighteningthe other, minute longitudinal shifting movement of the sleeve l2, and correspondingly the entire shaft I2 can be effected. The

entire upper shaft assembly in this manner is axially shifted bodily relative to the lower shaft thereby to shift the roll it crosswise or axially relative to the roll Vertical adjustment of the floating section 24 is effected in response to the actuation of a pair of screw-threaded,

non-rotatable bolt members

94 and 85, the head end portions 85 of which are held against turning in sockets in the upper surfaces of the plates 59 and 9! respectively. Apertured plates 91' secured to the upper surfaces of the plates 69 and El respectively embrace the held ends 89 of the bolts to hold them in place. 88 and 89 are a pair of worm gears supported in the housing 23, previously described. Cap members 9i and 92 close the upper open end portions of the gear housing and integral depending sleeves 99 bear against the worm gears.

Each

worm gear

88 and 89 is centrally apertured and threaded operatively to engage the threaded shank 93 of the bolt members respectively. Thus, upon rotation of the Worm gears, in response to turning movement of a common worm 9 3, which extends longitudinally through the housing, each bolt is uniformly actuated in the vertical direction, concomitantly to carry the floating section therewith. Each cap member 9| and 92 is provided with a cup shaped end cap 95 for receiving the respective bolt when actuated upwardly.

Extending forwardly of the spiral gear housing 23 is a spindle 99, which is integral with the worm 94. The spindle end is adapted to receive a crank (not shown) for manually actuating the same, the amount of turning movement being indicated by a dial 98 for control purposes. In this manner, merely by turning the worm in one direction or the other as desired, the floating section, which is constantly in balanced relation, thereby to militate against binding or bearing wear, may be actuated rapidly in one direction or the other for roll interchange purposes, or for minutely and accurately adjusting the upper roll l0 vertically with respect to the lower roll I I.

For the purpose of maintaining a driving re lation at all. times between the roll shafts l2 and 13 even though the upper driven shaft is vertically and longitudinally adjusted relative to the lower driving shaft, there is provided a pair of intermediate spur gears? 9% and 99. A shaft 199, which carries the upper spur gear 99, is journaled in bearing portions lill which are connected by links m2 to bearing sections I99. The bearing sections Hi9 are mounted on sleeves i04 which are integral with the cap members "if! and it respectively. The link is of a length permanently to maintain full meshing relation.- ship between the spur gear 9:3 and the gear 99 on the upper shaft 92. Gear 99 is maintained in full meshing relation with the gear 98 and in turn meshes with the gear 38 keyed to the lower shaft I 3 by means of a link M35. The link connects the bearing portions I9! with the bearing sections I95 which provides mounting for a shaft 91 for the gear 99, and sleeves lat. The sleeves I98 of the link I95 rotatably engage sleeves 199 which are integral with and extend laterally of the cap members Mi and d3.

From the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is manifest that I have produced a continuously operating tube mill in which each pair of forming roll mounting shafts is journaled in an improved roll housing. In the housing, one roll shaft, which is mounted in a floating section, is adapted to be driven by the other through gearing connected by linkage which maintains the gears in full meshing relation even though one shaft is adjusted vertically and longitudinally relative to the other. Longitudinal shifting movement of the one shaft with relation to the other is simply and readily effected merely by the actuation of a single screw member. which effects the desired longitudinal movement, bodily along its own axis, of the entire shaft structure within the floating section. Vertical adjustment is as readily obtained and controlled by means effecting the adjustment of guided floating section, which includes a ,le driving member for actuating the floating section mountingmeans uniformly in one vertical direction or the other without the danger of misalignment or such unbalancing as would result in the binding of the shaft mounting bearings.

It is readily apparent that considerable saving in time and improvement in accuracy results from means enabling the adjustment of one roll shaft vertically or longitudinally relative to the other in response to the actuation of a single member. Thus there is eliminated the arduous and time consuming task of balancing the adjusted shaft or its mounting means and the danger of damage to the equipment as a result of misalignment or subsequent shifting of parts.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in the details of construction, arrangement and operation of part may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In a tubing machine, tube forming mechanism including a pair of cooperating forming rolls, parallel driving and driven shafts for said rolls, means for supporting said driving and driven shafts including sleeve means rotatably carrying said driven shaft, roller bearings for said driven shaft carried by said sleeve means, at least one of which bearings is fixed to the driven shaft to prevent relative axial movement between the two, and means for axially adjusting said driven shaft slightly relative to said supporting means, said adjusting means including a flanged slidable sleeve member forming part of said sleeve means and engaging said fixed roller bearing in a manner to effect axial movement thereof in either direction, a non-rotatable screw secured to a fixed portion of said supporting means and extending parallel to the driven shaft and extending through the flange of said sleeve member and a nut on said screw on each side of the flange of said sleeve member so that by loosening one nut and tightening the other axial adjustment of the sleeve member is effected in one direction or the other.

NELSON D. ABBEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,653,709 Johnson Dec. 27, 1927 1,925,542 Rafter Sept. 5, 1933 2,122,615 Johnston July 5, 1938 2,150,202 Blevins Mar. 14, 1939