US2643757A

US2643757A - Sheet transfer and guide

Info

Publication number: US2643757A
Application number: US105225A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Kovatch
Original assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corp
Current assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corp
Priority date: 1949-07-16
Filing date: 1949-07-16
Publication date: 1953-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-30

Description

June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757

SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE.

Filed July 16, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1949 Ira/61110)" I' /050]? tl fl'o aw.

June so, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757

' SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE Filed July 16, 1949 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet s Alto] my June 30, 1953 R. J. KOVATCH 2,643,757 SHEET TRANSFER AND GUIDE Filed July 16, 1949 Y 4Sheets-Sheet 4 9 E E E liabart J fiovalah.

Patented June 30, 1953 Robert J. Kovatch, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,225

4.- Claims. (Cl. 19827) My invention rel-ates generally to a sheet feeding device and is more particularly adapted for use in the manufacture of tin plate, although it can be used for feeding sheets of other material equally as well where a, similar purpose is desired.

In the manufacture of tin plate after it is rolled and cut into sheet sizes usually 20" x 28" they are passed through an electric cathodic cleaner. The uncoated sheets are then advanced therefrom by a pair of over-shot conveyors which drop the sheets onto a table which feed them in two rows into a tin pot and then toa catcher for receiving the coated plate as it comesfrom the tin pot, a cooling and washingtable, a branner or polishing machine, and finally to a piler.

My feeding device whichI will designate as a sheet balancer and guide is illustrated for use in two positions. In the first-case it is shown used in conjunction with an over-shot conveyor table which receives the sheets after they leave the electric cathodic cleaner, and inthe second case it is used attached to the tin plate piler box.

When used in conjunction with the over-shot conveyor which receives the sheets from the electric cathodic cleaner the sheet balancer and guide is attached to the over-shot conveyor and handles wet, uncoated material.. The sheets of wet, uncoated plates drop from the over-shot conveyor onto the sheet balancer which in turn drops the sheets onto the table for feeding it into the tin pot. Since the over-shot conveyor feeds sheets in two distinct rows or positions onto the table, a sheet balancer is needed for each of the sheet positions of the table. These two balancers operate in exactly the same manner.

The sheet balancer and guide is used to drop the sheets onto the table straight and flat so that one edge cannot hit first causing bending, scratching and cobbling of the sheets feeding into the tin pot. In this position the balancer also keeps the wet sheets from sticking together before they are straight and aligned. A screw adjustable weight on each sheet balancer can be adjusted to make the balancer trip at the right time for any weight of sheet.

Before the installation of the sheetv balancer and guide, scratches of the previoussheet were prevalent due to the rough shear edge dragging as th sheet fell, light gauge sheets and sheets with de-wet spots had a tendency to stick to the previous sheet. This condition caused kinks, broken product, cobbles and loss of production. due to stoppage of the unit. It was necessary to keep a man on duty the entire turn to watch for these conditions. Since the installation and top of the piler box and handles dry tin plate.

The sheets of tin plate after they come out of the branner cleaner are fedby a conveyor to an inclined trough down which they slide by gravity onto the sheet balancers which drop the sheets into the sheet piler. The sheet balancer drops the sheets flat and straight in the piler, so that one edge will not drop on the pile first, avoiding kinks, cobbles, bending and scratching surfaces in the pile. Here also an adjustable weight is provided for each balancer so that any weight of sheet can be dropped onto the pile at the correct time.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a sheet balancer andguide adapted to receive sheets as they leave a conveyor or the like and guide the same to its proper position over an automatic feeding table or the pile in a sheet piler and drop the sheets in such a manner so that it eliminates operational difficulties.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sheet balancer and guide that will receive asheet as it leaves a. conveyor or the like and guide the sheet to its proper position over an automatic feeding table or the pile of sheets in a sheet piler and drop the sheet in such a manner so as to.

prevent scratching of the previously fed sheet due to the rough shear edge dragging as the sheet fell, and to prevent the tendency of the sheets from sticking to the previous fed sheet on the automatic feeding table, thereby preventing kinks, broken product, cobbles and loss of production, due to the stoppage of the unit.

A further object of my invention relates to the screw adjustable weight on, each sheet balancer that can be adjusted to make the balancer trip at the right time for any weight of sheet.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring now to the accompanying four sheets of drawings which form a part of this specification and on which like characters of reference indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the over-shot conveyor showing two sheets from the electric cathodic cleaner being delivered to the automatic feeding table for feeding the sheets into the entry side of the tin pot and showing a pair of sheet balancers and guides attached thereto. 7 7

Fig. 2 is a to plan view of the sheet balancer and guide as viewed from the right hand end of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 illustrates the operation of the sheet balancer and guide for depositing a sheet on the automatic feeding table from which it isfed into the tin pot.

Fig. 8 illustrates the operation of the pair of sheet balancers and guides for depositing. a sheet on the pile of sheets in the tin plate piler, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the manner of feeding the sheet to the tin plate piler, with the sheet balancers shown in a slightly modified form. t

Referring now to the various characters of reference on the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive, the numerals I and 2 indicate the upper and lower over-shot conveyors respectively, which receive the wet sheets from the electric cathodic cleaner, (not shown) and feed them to the automatic feeding table 3, which is provided with vertical transversely extending guard plates 4, 5, 6 and 'I', which divide the table into two lines of feed 8' and 3 for the sheets and advance them into the tin pot. The guard I2 having an extending arm I3 at one end and a similar arm I4 at an intermediate point in which the sheet balancer I5 is pivoted. The main frame I2 is provided with a hanger bracket I6 at one end, the upper end of which is bent as at I! to embrace a transversely extending angular member I8 of the over-shot conveyor and secured thereto by means of a set bolt I9 threaded into a boss and provided with a handle 2I for manipulating the set bolt for clamping the end of the'hanger bracket It to angle I8.

A guide plate 22 connects the outer ends of the arms I3 and I 4 andis attached thereto by means of screws 23.

The sheet balancer I5 is of substantially rectangular outline in top plan and is formed'of rod members, the inner rod 24 having a greater cross sectional area than the rod which forms the ends 25 and the outer rod 25, these being formed in one piece and the ends of 25 welded as at 21 to the inner rod 24. The ends 25 each have axle extensions 28 journaled in'bearings 29 in the arms" I3 and I4 of the main frame I2 each provided with a cover 30 attached to each of said arms I3 and I4 by means of a screw 3|. The outer ends of. 25 are arc shaped as at 32 to extend under the guide plate 22.

A U-shaped rod 33 has the end of one of its legs 34 which is shorter than the other leg welded as at 35 to one end of the inner rod 24, while the other leg 36 is somewhat longer than the other and extends adjacent to the arm 13 of the main frame I2 and is screw threaded as at 31 to receive an adjustable balance weight 38 which 4 is more securely held in position by means of a nut 39. Normally the weight 38 holds the ends 25 and the outer rod member 26 in the raised position with the leg 34 of the U-shaped rod 33 engaging the top surface of the main frame I2.

As illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 7 the sheet as it is fed forward by the over-shot conveyor to the automatic feeding table 3 has one edge of the sheet supported by the stationary ,rod 40 which may be adjusted for different widths of sheets while the other edge of the sheet is initially supported by the outer rod member 25 of the sheet balancer I5. As the sheet continues to advance, the balance weight 38 being properly adjusted, the weight of the 4. ing and washing table, and a branner or polishing machine, it is conveyed to a piler to collect them in piles or stacks from which they are loaded on trucks and taken to the assorting room where they are placed upon well lighted tables for inspection, all of which is well known in this art.

.Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9 which illustrates the piling operation.

When used in conjunction with the tin plate piler, a sheet balancer is attached to opposite sides of the top of the piling box 43. The sheets as indicated at 44 in Fig. 9, after they come out of the branner or polishing machine and are then fed by means of rollers 35 to an inclined trough 46 down which they slide by gravity onto the'sheet balancers I5.

As indicated in Fig. 9 two spaced piling boxes :3 are shown of similar construction which are connected together by means of a plate structure as at 41. The trough 46 has a supporting base 43 which is pivoted to ll as at 59. The supporting base 48 has an are shaped arm 56 attached-thereto and is provided with a setbolt 5i, which extends through an are shaped slot 52 in the plate 41 and provided with an adjustable hand wheel nut 53. As illustrated in Fig. 9, the sheet 44 is being discharged into the front piling box 43 to form a pile or stack ea. After the stack has been built up to the desired height the hand wheel nut 53 is unscrewed slightly and the back end of the trough is tilted downwardly manually to allow the sheets to be discharged into the rear piling box, the hand wheel nut 53 is then tightened to clamp the trough 66 in this position. In this manner while the stack in the forward piling box is being removed the stack in the rear piling box is being formed, in this man ner the trough is readjusted after each stack is 7 formed and the operation is continuous.

The piling boxes each have a base 55 and side plates 56 and 51, the latter of which is prefacres-w Each piling box is provided with asswi'ngin door 62 at the outer end having. buifer plates 63 on the inner side for limiting: the forward movement of the sheets when they are discharged into the piling box. ,Each door 62 is supported by a standard {it in which is mounted a swinging arm 65 the outer end having a threaded bolt 58 mounted therein and adapted for adjustin'ent by means of a hand wheel nut 61 and a lock nut 68. The lower end of thethreaded bolt 65 is provided with a cross bar 69 with its end portions connected by means of chains to the door 62.

The operation of the sheet balancer for the sheet piler is substantially the same as for automatic feeding table 3 and Where the structure of the sheet balancer is the same, the same ref erence numerals will apply thereto. The sheet as it is fed by gravity from the inclined trough 4t engages the outer rod members 25 of the two sheet balancers i5 and the weight of the sheet will tilt the balancers, and the sheet will be discharged into the piler box as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a slight modification in which one end of each of the threaded rods for the Weights 38 is welded as at H to the rod member as of the sheet balancer and in Fig. 8 I have illustrated the threaded rod 72 for the adjustable weight 38 as substantially L-shaped, but the operation of the balancers shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is substantially the same as that described for Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. After each stack 54 is completed the door 82 is swung out of position and a truck having a lower shelf like projection is adapted to extend under the stack and convey it to the room for inspection.

Although I have shown and described my in vention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalents thereof, as are embraced within the scope of my invention, or as pointed out in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for delivering lengths of sheets to a feeding table, a conveyor for delivering sheets in sequence to the feeding table to advance the sheets in a path at right angles to that of the conveyor, a stationary means mounted above the feeding table for supporting one side of the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer for supporting the other side of the sheet comprising a main frame having a hanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyor mounted above the feeding table, spaced arms extending from the main frame, a journal box formed in each spaced arm, said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extending rod member and an outer horizontally extending rod member, end rods connecting the ends of the inner and outer rod member, an axle extending from each of the end rod members journaled in the boxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod member engaging and initially supporting the other side of the sheet and adapted to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengage the other side of the sheet from the stationary support and drop the sheet on the feeding table.

2. Apparatus for delivering lengths of sheet to a feeding table, a conveyor for delivering sheets in sequence to the feeding table, a pair of spaced vertical transversely extending guard plates mounted on the feeding table, a rod connecting the pair of guard plates. for supporting one side of the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer for supporting the other side of the sheet, comprising a main frame having a l-hanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyor and mounted above the feeding table, a pair of spaced arms extending from one side of the main frame, a journal box formed in each spaced arm, said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extending rod member and an outer horizontally extending rod member of smaller cross sectional area than the inner member, end rods connecting the ends of the inner and outer horizontally extending rod members, an axle extending from each of the end rod members journaled in the boxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod member normally engaging and initiallysupporting the other side of the sheet and adapted to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengage the other side of the sheet from the rod support and drop the sheet on the feeding table, automatic means for returning the sheet balancer to its normal position, and means for limiting the movement of the sheet balancer.

3. Apparatus for feeding lengths of sheets from an electric cathodic cleaner to a tin pot, a conveyor for delivering sheets from the electric cathodic cleaner'in sequence to a feeding table, a pair of spaced vertical transversely extending guard plates mounted on the feeding table, a rod connecting the pair of guard plates for supporting one side of the sheet during delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer mounted above the feeding table for supporting the other side of the sheet, comprising a main frame having a hanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyor, a pair of spaced arms extending from one side of the main frame, a journal box formed in the end portion of each spaced arm, said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extendin rod member and an outer horizontally extending rod member, end rods connecting the ends of the inner and outer horizontally extending rod members, an axle extending from each of the end rod members journaled in the journal boxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod member adaptedto normally engage and initially support the other side of the sheet and adapted to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengage the other side of the sheet from the rod support and drop the sheet on the feeding table to advance the sheet into the tin pot, a U-shaped rod having one leg secured to the inner horizontally extending rod member and the other le threaded to receive a weight threaded for adjustment on the threaded leg portion of the U-shaped rod to allow sheets of different weights to drop onto the feeding table at the desired time and to return the sheet balancer to its normal position after the sheet is dropped.

4. Apparatus for feeding lengths of sheets from an electric cathodic cleaner to a tin pot, a conveyor for delivering lengths of sheets received from the electric cathodic cleaner to a feeding table in sequence, a pair of spaced vertically transversely extending guard plates mounted above the feeding table, a stationary rod connecting the guard plates for supporting one side edge of each sheet durin delivery from the conveyor, a sheet balancer for normally supporting the other side of the sheet, comprising a main frame having a hanger bracket attached to the frame of the conveyor mounted above the feeding table adjacent to the stationary rod support, a

pair of spaced-arms extending from one side of the main frame, a journal box formed in each spaced arm, a vertically extending inclined guide plate connecting and secured to the ends of the pair of spaced arms, said sheet balancer having an inner horizontally extending rod member and an outer horizontally extending rod member, end rods connecting the ends of the inner and outer rod members each having an are shaped outer portion adapted to extend under the lower edge of the guide plate, an axle extending from each of the end rod members journaled in the journal boxes of the spaced arms, said outer horizontally extending rod member engaging and initially supporting the other side of the sheet and adapted. to yield under the weight of the side of the sheet and disengage the other side of the sheet from the stationary rod to allow the sheet to drop on the feeding table to advance the sheet into the tin pot, a threaded rod secured at one end to the inner horizontally, extending rod memher adapted to receive a weight threaded thereon for adjustment on the threaded rod to allow sheets of different weights to drop onto the feeding table at the desired time and to return the sheet balancer to its normal position after the sheet has been dropped onto the feeding table.

ROBERT J. KOVATCH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,829,322 Williams Oct. 27, 1931 1,846,909 Schmitt Feb. 23, 1932 1,926,261 Burnish Sept. 12, 1933 2,072,667 Coe Mar. 2, 1937' 2,139,877 Brandt Dec. 13, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 161,684 Germany June 26, 1928