US2567819A

US2567819A - Coil handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2567819A
Application number: US691344A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elwin A Matteson; William P Donald
Original assignee: Aetna Standard Engineering Co
Current assignee: Aetna Standard Engineering Co
Priority date: 1946-08-17
Filing date: 1946-08-17
Publication date: 1951-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-11

Description

P 1951 E. A. MATTESON ELI AL 2,567,819

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOIE EL Wl/V A. NA TTESON J WILL/AM FDO/VALD E. A. MATTESON ETAL 2,67,19

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Sept. 11, 1951 Filed Aug; 17, 1946 5 Shests-Sheet 2 mmvrons ,2/ fl W/N A- NATTESON BY ,2 W/L 1 mm PDONA w ATTOENE'YS Sept. 11, 1951 E. A. MATTESON ET AL 2,567,819

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TORS E2 W/N AJVA TTESON BY J W/LL/AM PDONALD A TTOE'IVEYS s p 1951 E. A. MATTESON ETAL COIL HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 17, 1946 lllllll v iv INVENTORS EL W/N A MA TTFSON & W/ZZ/AM PDQ/VAL] A TTOP/VEYS E. A. MATTESON ET AL 2,567,819

Sept. El, 1951 COIL HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 17, 1946 IN V EN TORS El Wl/V A- NA TTESOA/ Y W/lL/AM PDQ/VALE truck or the like.

Patented Sept. 11, 1951 COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Elwin A. Matteson and William P. Donald,

Youngstown, Ohio, assignors to The Aetna- Standard Engineering Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 17, 1946, Serial No. 691,344

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for handling coils of strip material, and more particularly to an improved coil transfer and up-ending mechanism which is adapted to move a coil of strip material between a reel having a horizontal axis and a point away from the reel, and shift the axis of the coil through approximately 90 during or after such movement.

In the manufacture of strip steel the strip is coiled upon a tension reel as it comes from the rolling mill. In present day mill practice these coils may be very large and heavy, in some cases a single coil weighing as much as 50,000 pounds, and the coils must be handled with considerable care to prevent damage to the strip. As the reel is usually supported at one end only with its axis horizontal the coil must be removed from the unsupported end of reel with the coil axis also in horizontal position. In further handling and processing of the coiled strip, such as stacking the coils in a furnace for annealing, it is desirable that the coil be disposed with its axis vertical and thus it becomes necessary to up-end the coil after it has been removed from the reel.

It also becomes necessary at various stages in the manufacture of strip steel to unwind the coils of strip. This is done by placing the coil on a pay-01f reel which acts as a center spindle during the uncoiling operation. As the reels are preferably handled in the vertical axis position during the intermediate operations they must be turned through 90 to permit them to be placed on a pay-off reel having a horizontal axis, and it will be understood that our improved coil handling apparatus may readily be adapted for use either with tension reels or pay-offreels, and further, that although particular reference is made herein to handling strip steel, our improved mechanism mayadvantageously be employed for handling coils of other material such as paper, roofing material, or the like.

It is among the objects of ourinvention to provide an improved coil carriage for handling coils of strip material which is adapted to handle coils of various diameters and to transfer the coils between a reel having horizontal axis and a point removed from the reel and while being so transferred, or after the transfer movement is completed, to shift the coil into vertical axis position for further handling by a suitable lift Other objects of our invention include the provision of an up-ending coil carriage which will accommodate coils of different diameters and widths without change or use of supplementary parts; the provision of an upending coil carriage which is rapid and positive in its action and which prevents damage to the coil during handling; and the provision of a simple, efilcient, and rugged up-ending coil carriage of the type described which may be actuated by fluid pressure means and requires a minimum of upkeep and maintenance.

The above and other objects of our invention will appear from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which our coil handling apparatus is illustrated in connection with a tension reel of the type used in the production of strip steel or the like and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tension reel installation incorporating our improved upending coil carriage.

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the coil carriage mechanism shown in Figure 1, taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view generally similar to Figure 1 but on an enlarged scale and showing the carriage in position away from the reel and illustrating the coil cradle and coil in up-ended position, the coil being ready to be removed by a lift truck or the like.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the details of our coil carriage operating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

As noted above, in the manufacture of steel strip or the like the strip is customarily wound on a tension reel. In Figure 1 of the drawings this reel is indicated at I and may be of any suitable design. This type of reel is usually equipped with means for gripping the inner end of the strip and is also collapsible so that, after the complete coil is formed, the reel I may be collapsed to a reduced diameter so that the coil may readily be removed from the free or unsupported end of the reel. A coil 2 is indicated in broken lines in Figure 1 and the drive shaft of the reel 1 is supported in a housing 3. The drive motor 4 is connected through suitable gearing to rotate the reel I. A stripper or coil centering plate 5 of well known type may be mounted on a rod or bar 6 and suitable means provided for moving the bar 6 and plate 5 from the retracted position shown in Figure 1 toward the free end of the reel I to center the coil on the reel or push the coil to the right to assist in removing it from the reel.

The mill floor level adjacent the reel is indicated at 1 and, as may be seen in Figure 2, a pit 8 is disposed below the floor level to accommodate atomic a portion of the mechanism of our up-ending coil carriage apparatus. The I-beams 9 and II are supported in the pit 8 and may form a part of the foundation for the frame ll of the tension reel. The inner bottom flanges or beams 9 and I form'trackways extending-parallel to the axis of the reel l and on which the coilcarriage C is supported by suitable wheels l2 and I3.

.AsisbestseeninFigures 4and5,thecarriage C includes a drop center portion M and upwardly extending end portions |5 and I5 at the outer ends of which are mounted the supporting wheels l2 and IS. A bracket projects upwardly from the end I5 of the carriage C and supports a coupling member |8 through which the piston rod I9 is attached to the carriage C.

This piston rod l9 carries a piston at its opposite end which is adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder 20 under the influence of a suitably controlled fluid'under pressure. From the above description it will be seen that the carriage C, and the parts mounted thereon, may be moved by means of the cylinder 29 and its associated parts from coil receiving position as seen in Figure 1 to coil discharging position as seen in Figure 3.

The drop center portion H of the carriage C supports a vertical elevator cylinder 2| in which a plunger 22 operates and is adapted to be moved upwardly by hydraulic pressure applied through the pipe 23 and tomove downwardly when fluid is permitted to escape through the pipe 23. Carried on the upper end of the plunger 22 is an elevator mechanism generally indicated at E. This elevator mechanism includes a frame 24 which is generally of an inverted U-shape in transverse cross-section (see Figure 5) and is provided with a downwardly extending collar 25 into which the upper end of plunger 22 extends. A guide rod 26 is also secured in a collar 21 on the under side of the top of elevator frame 24 and extends down through, and has a sliding fit in,

holes

28 and 29 in the drop center portion M of carriage C.

On opposite sides of the plunger 22 are elevator

lift limit rods

39 and 3| which have threaded attachment at their upper ends to the elevator frame 24 and pass through suitable guide holes in the top and bottom of the box section drop center portion H of the

carriage C. Washers

32 and 33 are secured at the lower ends of

rods

30 and 3| by

suitable nuts

34 and 35 and, by engaging the downwardly extending boss l4 on the center section It, limit the permissible upward movement of the elevator E. Downward movement 4 rollers 4| and 42 form a V-shaped coil engaging and supporting trough which will receive coils of v r ing diameters and prevent their rolling off from the cradle A while permitting them to move endwise or axially into engagement with the inner surface of arm 49 of the cradle.

As noted above, the usual elevating lift truck having a fork member for engaging a load is preferably employed in connection with our upending apparatus and transverse slots 43 are formed in the arm 48 to permit the lift truck fork, or other coil handling fixture, to be inserted beneath the coil 2 to remove it from the position on the cradle arm 49 shown in Figure 3 for transfer to storage or the next operation. It will be noted that when in up-ended position the coil is held just sufficiently above the mill floor level to permit convenient handling by a lift truck. In order accurately to locate the arm 40 in horizontal position a stop 44 is formed on the top of the elevator frame 24 and engages a corresponding boss 45 on the arm 40. In like manner stop 44' on the frame 24 and boss 45' on the arm 39 cooperate to limit the movement of cradle 'A into coil receiving position. Secured to the overhanging end of shaft 38 adjacent the bearing bracket 35 is a gear segment 46. This gear segment is engaged by a rack 41 mounted on a C-shaped sliding frame member 48. Guideways 49 and 59 are formed in the sides of the elevator frame 24 and provide a sliding support for the frame 48 whereby the frame and rack 41 may have longitudinal sliding movement relative to the elevator frame 24. Disposed generally within thee-shaped rack frame 48 is a fluid pressure cylinder 5| having a suitable piston therein which is secured to a piston rod 52 the outer end of which is connected at 53 to the sliding rack frame 48. The cylinder 5| is secured to and supported by the frame 24 and thus, as the piston rod 52 is moved by the application of fluid under pressure to the cylinder 5|, the frame 48 and rack 41 are reciprocated relative to the elevator frame 24.

when the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 1 the piston rod 52 is retracted and the rack 41 is in its farthest right position. The coil cradle A is then disposed to receive a coil from the reel, the arm 39 being horizontal and the arm 49 being in vertical position. When the piston rod 52 is extended the rack 41 is moved to the .eft into the position shown in Figure 3 with corof the elevator E is limited by engagement of Y the surface 24' with the stop lug I4" on the carriage'C (see Figure 4). The guide rod 26 serves to prevent rotary movement of the elevator frame 24 around the center line of the plunger 22 and also guides and steadies the elevator in its vertical travel.

A pair of

bearing brackets

36 and 31 extend upwardly from the elevator frame 24 and are provided with bearings in which a cross shaft 38 is rotatably supported. Secured to the cross shaft 38 between the

bearing brackets

38 and 31 is the coil carrying cradle A which includes

arms

39 and 40 disposed at 90 to each other. The arm 39 is the coil receiving arm and, as is seen in Figure 1, it is disposed below and supports the coil as it is being removed from the reel I. In order to facilitate handling of coils and to insure that a coil may freely move into position against the arm 40, the arm 39 is provided on its inner surface with two rows of angularly inclined rollers, 4| and". AsisbestseeninFigurezthese.

responding rotation of the gear segment 48, shaft 38, and coil cradle A until the boss 45 engages the stop 44 and the cradle arm 39 is vertical while the arm 40 is horizontal and the coil 2 has been up-ended into the vertical axis position as shown in Figure 3.

In order to supply fluid under pressure to the carriage moving cylinder 20, the elevator cylinder 2|, and the up-ending cylinder 5|, we preferably mount a motor 54 on a platform 55 carried by beams 55 which are secured to the sides of and supported by the carriage C. Also mounted on platform 55 is a pump 51 and the fluid tank 58 is supported by the beams 56. A supply of fluid, such as oil or the like, is carried in the tank 7 58 and when driven by the motor 54 the pump 51 supplies fluid from the tank 58 under pressure to the operating

cylinders

20, 2|, and 5| through suitable piping (not shown).

To control the operation of our apparatus valves are arranged in the piping system leading from the pump 51 and in the return pipes from the

cylinders

20, 2|, and 5| to the tank 58 whereby the functions and operation of the fluid pressure mechanisms may be controlled. The details of the control valves and the piping are not illustrated in the drawings as they may be of any suitable arrangement and the valves may be located at any point convenient for the operator of the apparatus.

Having described our up-ending coil carriage as installed for use in connection with a tension reel, its mode of operation will now be explained:

In Figure 1 it may be assumed that the coil 2 has been completely wound on the reel I. While the coil is being formed carriage C is held in its discharge or unloading position away from the reel I (as seen in Figure 3). Upon finishing the coil the operator moves the control valve which supplies fluid under'pressure to the cylinder 20 to move the carriage C to the left into the position shown in Figure 1. However, before he moves the carriage to the left as Just described, the

cradle arms

39 and 40 must be moved into coil receiving position with the arm 39 horizontal and the elevator E must be lowered, preferably to its lowest position or at least to a position where the rollers 4| and 42 on the arm 39 will clear the under side of the coil 2. Suitable interlocks (not shown) are provided in the valve hookup whereby the operator cannot move the carriage C into coil receiving position (as shown in Figure 1) unless the elevator E is lowered and the cradle A is incoil receiving position.

After the carriage C has been moved to the left end of its travel (Figure 1) the valve controlling the elevator cylinder 2| may be operated to lift the elevator and the cradle A until the rollers 4| on the arms 39 engage the coil and lift it sufficiently to take the load off of the collapsed reel I. The stripper 5 may then be operated to push the coil horizontally on the rollers 4| and 42 until its end face engages the arm 40. The carriage C is then moved on the tracks 9 and I0 away from the reel I into the position shown in Figure 3, the elevator E is lowered to its bottom position, and the up-ending cradle A is rotated by means of the rack 41 and gear segment 45 through 90 to discharging position as shown in Figure 3 with the coil axis vertical. The coil may then be removed by a forked truck or other suitable means and transferred to storage or the next operation. The apparatus is then ready for the next cycle and when another coil is wound on the reel l the operation just described will be repeated.

It will be understood that wher the apparatus is used to load coils on to a pay-of! reel the operations will be substantially the reverse of those just described and it will be seen that our improved up-ending coil carriage mechanism provides a simple and compact means for handling heavy coils of material in the manner explained.

Although we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention in considerable detail it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts and elements which make up our improved apparatus and we, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the particular structures herein illustrated and described but claim as our invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An up-ending coil carriage apparatus adapted for use with a reel for handling coils of strip material including a carriage, means for supporting said carriage for movement in a direction parallel to the reel axis, means for moving said carriage on said support toward or away from said reel, an elevator mechanism mounted on said carriage, means for moving said elevator vertically relative to said carriage, cradle means mounted on said elevator for supporting a coil of strip material in either vertical axis or horizontal axis position, means for supporting said cradle for. movement about an axis normal to said reel axis and restraining said cradle against movement about an axis parallel to said coil axis, fluid pressure actuated means mounted on and movable with said elevator mechanism for actuating said cradle to shift a coil carried thereby from one to the other of said axis positions, and pump means mounted on and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means.

2. In apparatus for handling coils of strip material, the combination of a reel on which a coil may be supported, a trackway below and extending away from and parallel to the axis of said reel, a carriage supported for movement on said trackway toward or away from said reel, fluid pressure actuated means for moving said carriage on said trackway, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, elevator operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, a coil carrying cradle having arms extending substantially at 90 to each other, said cradle being pivotally mounted on said elevator for rotation through approximately 90 about an axis extending substantially normal to the axis of said reel, cradle operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said elevator and movable therewith, and means carried by and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means.

3. In apparatus for handling coils of strip material, the combination of a reel on which a coil may be supported, a trackway below and extending away from and parallel to the axis of said reel, a carriage supported for movement on said trackway toward or away from said reel, fluid pressure actuated means for moving said carriage on said trackway, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, elevator operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, a coil carrying cradle having arms extending substan tially at 90 to each other, said cradle being pivotally mounted on said elevator for rotation through approximately 90 about an axis extending substantially normal to the axis of said reel,

,cradle operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said elevator and movable therewith, means carried by and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure from said fluid pressure supply means to each of said fluid pressure actuated means.

4. In coil handling apparatus of the type described, a movable carriage, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable vertically relative thereto, said elevator having spaced bearing brackets, a shaft mounted 'for rotati0n in said brackets and having its axis extendingv substantially normal to the direction of movement of said carriage, a coil cradle secured to said shaft between said brackets, a gear segment secured to said shaft, a rack slidingly supported on said elevator and engaging said gear segment, elevator operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, and fluid pressure actuated means carried by and movable with said elevator and connected to said rack to impart reciprocating movement thereto whereby said gear segment, shaft, and coil cradle may be rotated through approximately 90 independently of movement 01' said carriage.

5. In coil handling apparatus of the type described, a carriage supported for horizontal movement toward or away from a coil reel and parallel to the axis of said reel, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable vertically relative thereto, a coil cradle pivotally supported on said elevator for tilting movement about an axis substantially normal to the direction travel of said carriage, fluid pressure actuated means for moving said carriage, fluid pressure actuated means for operating said elevator, fluid pressure actuated means for rotating said coil cradle on its pivotal support, and means mounted on and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to each of said fluid pressure actuated means.

6. In apparatus for handling coils of strip material, the combination of a reel on which a coil may be supported, a trackway below and extending away from'and parallel to the, axis of said reel, a carriage supported for movement on said trackway toward or away fromv said reel, fluid pressure actuated means for moving said carriage on said trackway, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, elevator operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, a coil carrying cradle having arms extending substan tially at 90 to each other, one of said arms having spaced rows of rollers rotatably mounted on its inner face with the axes of the rollers of one row inclined to the axes of the rollers oi the other row to form a V-shaped coil receiving trough, said cradle being pivotally mounted on said elevator for rotation through approximately 90 about an axis extending substantially normal to the axis of said reel, cradle operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said elevator and movabletherewith, means carried by and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure from said fluid pressure actuated means for moving said carriage on said trackway, an elevator mounted on said carriage and movable therewith, elevator operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said can-iage and movable therewith, a coil carrying cradle having arms extending substantially at 90 to each other, one of said arms having spaced rows of rollers of one row inclined to the axesof the rollers oi the other row to form a V-shaped coil receiving trough, the other of said arms having spaced parallel slots formed in its inner surface, said slots being locatedon the upper side of said other of said arms when it is in-horizontal position and extending parallel to the pivotal axis of said cradle, said cradle being pivotally mounted on said elevator for rotation through approximately 90 about an axis extending substantially normal to the axis of said reel, cradle operating fluid pressure actuated means mounted on said elevator and movable therewith, means carried by and movable with said carriage for supplying fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means, and valve means for controlling the flow oi fluid under pressure from said fluid pressure supply means to each of said fluid pressure actuated means.

ELWIN A. MA'I 'I'ESON. WILLIAM P. DONALD.

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

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number McBride Oct. 24, 1944