US2675720A - Coileb and feeder assembly fob - Google Patents

Description

.1. F. FERM 2,675,720 COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS April 20, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR.

JOHN F PERM.

Filed June 17, 1950 ATTORNEYS.

April 20, 1954 J. F. FERM 2,675,720

COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS Filed June 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. JOHN F FERN]. BY

ATTORNEYS.

April 20, 1954 J, PERM 2,675,720

COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS Filed June 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 m lNl/ENTOR N B JOHN EFERM.

April 20, 1954 J. F. FERM 2,675,720

COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS Filed June 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 M ZM.

ATTORNEYS.

J. F. FERM April 20, I954 COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS 6 Sheets-Sheet ,5

Filed June 17, 1950 INVENTOR. JOHN E'F'EEM. wamgaw ATTURNEYS'.

April 20 1954 J, FERM I 2,675,720

. COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS Filed June 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. JOHN F? FEEM.

MMKM.

ATTORNEHJ'.

Patented Apr. 20, 1954 COILER AND FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR REVERSING ROLLING MILLS John F. Ferm, Midland, Pa., assignor to Crucible Steel Company of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 17, 1950, Serial No. 168,758

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the hot rolling of strip metal, and more particularly to apparatus for coiling and uncoiling upon a reel such metal which is undergoing hot rolling.

The invention in one aspect thereof is constituted by the combination with a rolling mill adapted for the rolling of material such as metal at a rolling temperature first in one direction and then in the other, and having a runout table and a pinch roll assembly positioned for operating upon material movable on said table, of a reel mounted above the runout table, the reel being provided with a slot for the reception of an extremity of the strip of material. A reel guide roll is mounted above the runout'table and is positioned between the pinch roll assembly and the reel for guiding the strip as it moves between the table and reel. Means are provided for diverting material from the runout table upwardly toward the reel whereby an extremity of the strip is directed into the slot of the reel in preparation for winding the entire strip thereon. Such diverting means preferably comprises a section of the runout table which normally may be situated in the plane of such table. A stripper assembly, which also normally comprises a section of the runout table, is positioned adjacent said diverting means and is provided with a stripper element whichis shiftable from its position as a section of said table to another position wherein it is in coil stripping relationship with the coil of strip material wound fully upon the reel. In such stripping position the stripper element in assisting the unwinding can guide the outermost loose extremity of thecoil away from the reel, and in combination With said guide roll, can urge the unwinding strip material back toward the rolling mill. A down-guide element or out-reel guide assists in guiding the end of the strip material from the reel guide roll back to the pinch rolls. If desired, a hold-down roll may be employed and may be resiliently urged against the strip material while the latter is being wound upon the reel whereby the strip is wound in compact layers. When the strip is fully wound the hold-down roll prevents the whipping about of the loose end.

Various, further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and illustrate, by way of example, preferred arrangements of apparatus for carrying out the invention. The invention consists in 2 such novel combinations of features as may be shown and described in connection with the device herein disclosed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a portion of a reversing hot strip mill, embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 which includes the feeder, stepper and holddown roll assembly;

Fig. 3 is a view in sectional elevation as taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; while Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the various components in different operative positions from those of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the Fig. 2 assembly;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional elevational detail view of the Fig. 2 assembly as taken along line 6-6 thereof; while Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional elevational detail View of the assembly shown in Fig. 6, as taken along line l'l thereof; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary details, partly in section and with parts broken away of the Fig. '7 assembly, and illustrative of the different operative positions thereof.

Referring for the moment more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown therein the righthand portion of a reversing hot strip mill, embodying the above noted novel features of the present invention, the construction of the mill and its mode of operation being otherwise generally similar to that of U. S. Patent 1,977,214 to A. P. Steckel. The mill, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a four-high reducing mill stand shown generally at 0, consisting of-reducing rolls II and I2, backing rolls l 3, i l, mounted in a mill housing I 5, in a conventional manner. The mill is also provided on either side of the mill stand with runout or roll tables, as shown generally at It, including driven table rolls as at l1,,l3. Mounted above the table rolls is a strip coiler and furnace asembly, as shown generally at and comprising adriven strip coiling drum 2|, mounted within a furnace housing 22 of refractory material. The furnace is provided with air and fuel injection nozzles, as at 23 for maintaining the interior of the furnace at a desired operating temperature, as referred to more in detail hereinafter. Also mounted between the furnace housing 22 and the mill stand I 5 is a pinch roll assembly shown generally at 24 and consisting of a low driven roll 25 and idling upper roll 26, which is elevatable and compressible by means of a piston and cylinder assembly 21 in the manner described in said Steckel patent and requiring no further description herein.

In the operation of the mill as thus far described, a slab 28 of hot metal at a rolling temperature, is propelled back and forth between the reducing rolls ii and 12, of the four-high mill Hi until it has been reduced to a thickness and extended in length sufficiently for coiling purposes. During this so-called fiat rolling operation, the mill will be arranged as shown in Fig. 1, so that th slab 23 can be run out on the runout tables It, back and forth on either side of the mill. During this operation the driven table rolls ll, it serve to propel the slab away from the reducing mill i and return the same thereto, alternately feeding to the right and left through the mill on each pass. When, however, the slab has been reduced sufficiently in thickness and extended in length for coiling, the resulting strip is reeled up entirely on each pass .on the coilers 21, mounted on each side of the roll stand, and in the manner generally indicated by the dotted line 29. In this way the entire strip can be heated in a desired manner in the furnace 22 during an operation of the hot rolling period.

The equipment required for effecting this coiling and also the uncoiling will now .be described. The construction and operation of the coiling drum 2: is similar to that described in my copending application Serial No. 53,821, filed April 4, 1950. The coiling reel or drum consists in its essentials of a central blade member 35 of hollow, reinforced construction, and of substantially rectangular configuration in elevation and plan view and of roughly elliptical contour in transverse section, this central sleeve member being mounted on a water-cooled drive shaft 36. To the opposite sides of the central blade member 35, are respectively hinged, as at 31, 38, a pair of arcuately shaped peripheral blade members 39, 40, likewise of hollow, reinforced construction, all as described in my said copending application, each of which peripheral blade members 3.9 and 40 cooperates with the central blademember .35, to provide oppositely extending slots therebetween as at 41, 32, for receiving the leading edge of the hot rolled strip 29 to be coiled on the reel. The unhinged edges of the peripheral blades 39, 4d are secured in spaced relation to the central blade member 3'! by means of straps as at 43, 44, extending therebetween and pin-connected thereto respectively.

The hot roll strip .29 is fed onto and off of the ceiling reel 2 i, under a coiler guide roll life, which also facilitates breaking and removal of scale formed on the strip. Roll 45 is reversibly power driven. For diverting the leading end of the hot rolled strip from the table rolls ll onto the coiling reel 2|, there is provided a grid-like diverting and elevating table it, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this table being hingedly mounted at one end thereof as at on a rocker shaft 4-8, the latter journaled to bearing members as, 50, carried by a frame mounted. on brackets 5!,52, which in turn are secured to a supporting structure 53. The elevating table d6 is-also referred to as an elevatmg grid, elevating member or kick-up, also a an up-guide member or an in-reel guide. Such grid or table is journaled to theshaft it, by means of spaced bearing hubs 5d, 55 integral with the table, and adjacent the outer ends ofthe table as viewed in plan, Fig. 2. Also journaled to shaft 48 within the confines of the table bearing hubs 5Q, 55, is a strip receiving member or table 56,

mounted on rocker arms 83, 84.

consisting of a series of laterally spaced blades 51 integral, at one end of each, with an elongated bearing hub 58, the latter being journaled to shaft d8, within the confines of the spaced bearing hubs 5t, 55 of the elevating table E5, as shown in Fig. 2. Table 5% is also referred to as a downguide table, grid or member .and also as an outreel guide.

For raising and lowering the tables 46 and 56, during the appropriate intervals of the operating sequence as described below, there is provided a piston assembly 59, a cylinder 69 of which is pivotally mounted as at 5| upon trunnions .62, similar to a gun mount. A piston rod 63 of the assembly is pivoted at its upper end as at 64 to one end of a rocker arm 65, the opposit end of which is keyed to a shaft 66, at the approximat midpoint thereof as shown in Fig. 2. Also keyed to the opposite ends respectively of shaft 66 are a pair of rocker arms 61, B8, on the free ends of which are mounted pinsas at 59, 10, extending into slots as at H, Fig. 4, of link members l2, 13 (Fig. 2). The upper ends of the link members l2, F2 are in turn pin-connected as at M, 75 to bosses as at 46:: secured to the undersides of the table 6%. The shaft 56 is journaled at its opposite ends respectively to bearing members l6, 15' mounted on the brackets 5|, 52, above referred to.

Pin-connected to the underside of the elevating table 4%, at intermediate points thereof, as at El, E8, Figs. 2 and 4, are a pair of depending links 19, 85, the lower ends of which are slotted, as at 8i, Fig. 4, for reception of pins as at 82 These rocker rms are pivotally mounted at their midpoints as at 35, 85 on bracket members 87, 88 mounted on the frame structure 53. Th opposite ends of the rocker arms 83, 84 are respectively pin-connected as at 89, $29, Figs. 2 and 4, to link members 95, 92, the opposite ends of which link members are in turn pin-connected to the underside of the strip receiving table or down-guide 56, as at 93, 94.

Mounted beneath the elevating table 45 and adjacent the piston and trunnion assembly 59, is a stripper assembly shown generally at [00, for stripping and feeding the trailing end of the strip coiled on the reel 21 back into the rolling mill as explained below. This stripper assembly comprises a stripper element it! of roughly triangular configuration in end profile, and substantially rectangular in plan.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the stripper member Hll comprises an element which in one position thereof comprises a portion of the main table it and in another position thereof constitutes a guiding device for downwardly directing the unwinding strip of material back towards the rolling mill. Said stripper element i0! is made up of a pair of elongated portions H32, 803 which, if desired, may be metal castings and which are secured together at the extremities thereof in spaced relation by means of end plates I04, as by means of bolts I06. Said end plates have respectively formed integral therewith bosses as at I91, I08 each of which is provided with a recess or is hollowed out as at I09, H0 for the purpose of journaling thereto the reduced opposite ends Hi, H2 of a stripper roll H3.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seenthat the stripper roll H3, in combination with the elongated portions I02, I03, constitute, as above mentioned in one position thereof, an active :por-

strip, when unwound, from the coil back into the mill. During the actual guiding of the temporarily loose end of the strip from the drum 2I back down into the mill, said stripper surface members I 02?), I031) actively assist, as will appear more fully hereinafter, in so guiding the strip.

The mechanism for controlling the attitude of the stripper element IOI during its passage from the position of Fig. 3 to that shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, and during the return thereof, will now be described. The bosses I01, I08 have integral therewith outwardly projecting studs of reduced diameter as at H4, H5, respectively, which studs are journaled to slide blocks I16, II1 (Figs. 5 and 6). These slide blocks are in turn slidably mounted in slots H8, H9, respectively, of rocker arms I20, I21. The latter pair in turn are keyed at their lower ends (Figs. 2 and 3) to a shaft I22 which is journaled inbearing members I23, I24 mounted at the approximate center of said shaft on a suitable base member as at I25. The opposite ends of shaft I22 are also journaled in bearing members I26, I21, each having a rack or sector member, such as I28, I29 secured thereto. As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, the rocker arms I20, I2I are keyed to the extreme outer ends of the shaft I22. The racks I28, I29 mesh with pinions I30, I3I, which latter in turn are keyed to stud shafts I32, I 33. The studs in turn are journaled respectively to the rocker arms I29, I2I. The studs project through the rocker arms and have secured to their outer ends, crank arms I34, I35, which are pin-connected as at I36, I51 to links I38, I39, the opposite ends of which latter are pin-com nected as at I40, I4I to the slide blocks H6, H1, respectively.

Also centrally mounted upon the shaft I22 and keyed thereto is a rocker arm I42, which is actuated by a power cylinder device or piston as-' sembly I43, the piston rod I44 of which is pinconnected to one end of the rocker arm, as at I45, the piston cylinder I46 being in turn swiveledto trunnions I41, as at I48. Mounted upon and secured to the shaft I22 within and adjacent to the gear sectors I28, I29 are a pair of levers I49, I50, the latter mounting on their opposite ends respectively stud shafts, as at I5 i Fig. 3, to which rolls as at I52 are journaled. These rolls are adapted to engage and ride upon the lower plane surfaces, as at I53 of the links 12, 13 above described, this engagement occurring during a portion of the cycle of operations of the equipment as described hereinafter.

The stud shaft H5 integral with the boss E68 projects through the slide block H1 to which it is journaled, and has keyed to its outer end a lever I54, to the outer end of which is secured a stud shaft I55 mounting a cam roller I 56. The cam roller I56 engages an elongated cam track I51 of a cam assembly I 58 consisting of a vertical web I59, mounted upon and secured at its opposite ends to vertical angle members I60, I62 car ried by supports I62, I63. The cam track I51 is welded or brazed to the web I59. ends of the cam track I51 are bridgedby means The opposite of a strap I64 bolted to the cam track'as at I65, I66, to protect cam track and cam roller from mill scale and dirt.

Referring to Fig. 5, there is secured to the upper right-hand portion of the cam assembly web member I59, an outwardly projecting stud shaft I10, having pivotally mounted thereon a shunt track member I1 I, for returning the cam roll I56 to its farthest position to the right shown in this figure, as explained hereinafter. This shunt track member is substantially balanced by means of an appropriate weight I12 adjustably secured by means of a bolt I19 to a balancing arm I14 integral with the track member I1 I. The shunt track member I1I has the angular or offset configuration, viewed in plan, as shown in Fig. 2. The left or lower extremity I15 of member I1| (Fig. 2) is in substantial alignment with the cam track or face I51, while the right or upper portion I16 and is pivoted to a stud shaft 116, which latter in turn is mounted upon the cam web 156. A lower arm I19 of member I11 is adjustably weighted as at I with a balancing weight, while an upper arm IBI thereof is normally held against a lug member I62, by the weighted action of the lower arm, to provide a slight clearance between'arm I8I of the return member and the ofiset' portion H5 of the shunt track member l1i, as hown at I83. An extreme upper surface 164 of arm ISI is of arcuate configuration to receive and temporarily retain the cam roll while it is being returned to the position shown in Fig. 5, as explained in detail hereinafter. Referring to Fig. 7 in conjunction with Fig. 5, the upper edge I04 of the arm I8I of the return member I11 is trans-' 0 sition shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, a hold-down roll assembly shown generally at I is provided for reeling the strip 29 in compact layers on the coiling reel 21 and controlling the free end of the strip. This assembly comprises a hold-down roll el of hollow construction journaled at its opposite ends onto stud shafts 192, the latter in turn being secured'to arms as at I536. The arms I 93 are of roughly angular configuration and are mounted on their ends opposite to the roll It! on a shaft I94, keyed thereto. Also keyed to shaft 94 is one end of a lever arm 195, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected as at I96 to a piston arm I91 actuated by a cylinder I69, the cylinder being swiveled as at I99 to trunnions 295 mounted on a supporting structure 251.

In operation, in hot reducing a slab of hot metal first into an elongated plate and thence into relatively thin strip material, a slab of metal at an appropriate rolling temperature is delivered upon the table rolls It. The apparatus is initially as shown in Fig. l, in which condition the slab of metal upon the table rolls I6 is propelled thence onto the table rolls 1?, and then through the recoiling. The plate indicatedat 2 8 constitutes a showing of the material at an intermediate rolling stage while it is being rolledflat andprior to coiling. When the plate has been reduced to a sufficient thinness and length for coiling, the coiling drum .or reel 2 I, which may berotating slowly, is arrested by suitable control means (not shown) in the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein one of the slots, as at Lil, is positioned to receive an advancing extremity of the strip material .29. It is not necessary to employ thepinc'h rolls 2.5, while the material is in relatively thick slab form because the reducing rolls .i I and I2 are adequate for advancing the slab. However, when the material becomes relatively thinner, the pinch rolls may be employed for assisting in thrusting the material back and forth. The upper pinch roll, as at 26 of the pinch roll assembly 24, according- 1y may be elevated, if desired, but is thrust downwardly by means of the piston assembly 27 against the lower pinch roll 25 When it is desired to actuate such assembly drivably to feed the strip therethrough. After the drum 2! has been positioned, as shown in Fig. 3, and the coilable strip material is approaching same, moving to the right as viewed in this figure and in Fig. 1, the kick-up or up-guide member 46 is raised to the position shown in Fig. 3 whereby the leading edge of the strip 29, being propelled to the right by said pinch roll, is moved up the now inclined surface of the kick-up into the slot ll of the drum or reel 2i. When such leading edge has penetrated into the slot to a desired depth, the coiling reel promptly is set into motion and driven in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3) whereby the strip is sharply bent over lip 2 ID of the peripheral blade 39 of said reel and thus locked in engagement therewith. As the reel continues to rotate, the strip 29 will be shifted to the position shown at 2%. whereby the upper surface thereof engages the roll 45. When the kick-up or up-guide element is raised from the position shown in broken lines (Fig. 3) to that shown in solid lines by means of the power cylinder or piston assembly 59, the down-guide table or grid 58 is not affected and does not change in position, by virtue of the slot 8| (Fig. 4), which permits of such raising of the grid 46 without affecting the position of the grid 55 via the linkage 83, 9 I As the winding proceeds, the strip will be rapidly wound in successive layers onto the reel 2! in the manner shown in Fig. 1. When the strip material is thin, there is a tendency for it to buckle as it issues from the mill IE or from the pinch roll assembly 24. The rapid taking up of such strip material by the reel eliminates the dangers of such buckling and such reel here employed is so adapted for taking up the strip material. In order to assure that the coil will be wound tightl onto the reel, the holddown roll ISI, which is normally in the position shown at ISIa (Fig. l), is actuated by means of the piston lever and arm assembly itfi-IQEI, inelusive, to advance such roll to the position shown in broken lines whereby it engages and is urged against the strip being wound upon the reel 2I. The reeling of the strip material can be continued without regard to the position of the trailing extremity of such material with respect to the adjacent pinch rolls as at 25, 26, that is, it is unnecessary for the operator of the mill carefully to watch the position of the trailing or outer strip extremity and to arrest the mill before such extremity is free of such pinch rolls. Thus reeling of the strip material can be continued by means 9f the present invention until the trailing edge g of the strip has cleared the pinch rolls 25, .25 andalso the guide roll 45, and thus has been completely wound .upon the reel 2|. Consequently, the entire strip is subjected to the action of the pinch rolls 25, 25. That is, the trailing or outermost extremity of the strip is subjected to the action of the pinch rolls next adjacent to the reel 2 I. A relatively enlarged portion at each extremity of the strip thus is avoided which in the past has occurred because of the necessity to keep an outermost strip extremity between such pinch rolls for thepurpose of unwinding the strip on the reel. Also the entire strip when thus wound upon the reel in the furnace .22 is subjected to the furnace temperature which normally would not be the case if it were necessary to permit the trailing or outer strip extremity to remain between the next adjacent pinch rolls 25, 26. At this stage of the reeling, the hold-down roll ISI, engaging the outer surface of the coil, prevents the free end thereof from whipping loosely. As soon as the coiling of the strip material upon the reel 2| has begun and the strip has passed over and against the main guide roll :35, it is no longer necessary to. maintain the kick-up or in-reel guide it in the raised position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3. Consequently, at this stage of the operation said kick-up can be lowered by relieving the pressure of the actuating fluid medium in the power cylinder assembly 59 whereby said kick-up is lowered under gravity. Such lowering may be cushioned by conventional dashpot means embodied in the cylinder 68. The grid it is thus lowered until it assumes the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, such lowering being arrested by the limitstop action of the lower faces I53 of link members l2, l3 engaging the rolls M2, the latter being mounted upon the arms I49, I50 and being temporarily rigidly held in the position shown in Fi 3.

At this stage of the operation it is desirable to advance the stripper element iti from the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein it forms a portion of the runout table, to a stripping position, which position it may assume somewhat in advance of the time when it is actually needed. The stripperelement IQI is advanced by actuating the power cylinder assembly I43 which advances the piston rod I44 and with it the rocker arms I26, -i-2 l mounting the stripper element WI and the other pertinent parts, whereby such element may be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to any one of the positions as shown in broken lines in Figs. 4 and 5 as desired by the operator controlling the apparatus. As the piston M4 advances to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, the gears I30 and I3I will be rotated counterclockwise by their meshing engagement with their respective stationary segment gears I27, I28 and thus, through the action of the crank and lever members I84, I38, will displace the side blocks H6, IIl first toward and then away from the shaft I22 upon which the rocker arms E29, I2I are mounted. Thus the axis of the stripper roll H3 is guided along the path indicated by the broken line 2II (Figs. 4 and 5). Thus the stripper element is caused slightly to move away from the reel 2I at a desired portion of the path thereof in order to avoid such reel and the coils of strip material thereupon. Such path of the axis of the roll H3 is also desirable in View of the progressive changes in attitude of the stripper portions I92, I83 which occur as such element proceeds to the left from its position as viewed in Fig. 3. Such changes in attitude of the stripper element are, of course,

effected in order to present the stripper surface members H12, I83 in proper position for guiding the outer free end or extremity of the strip of coiled material back into the mill via the guide roll 45 with the assistance of the stripper roll H3 and the down-guide element or grid 55, as will be explained further hereinafter. Such changes in attitude are effected as follows: the cam roll I56, which is mounted on the arm I 3, the latter being secured to stud shaft II5, will traverse the cam face I57 along the path indicated by the circles shown in broken lines, the path being also shown by the arrows 2I3 in Fig. 5. The portion I03 of the stripper element, being the larger, is substantially heavier than the portion #52 and thus tends to rotate members m2, Hi3 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 5. Hence the cam roll I56 will be held in continuous engagement with the cam face l5! as such roll moves toward the left (Fig. 5) thereby causing the stripper portions I02, I03 to assume the successive angular positions shown at 2I4, 255 and 215 (Fig. 4) during the advance of such stripper from its initial to its final positions. The cam roll I56 thus moves from its position farthest to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, along the cam face I51 and beneath the portion I75 of the shunt track member IiI, thereby elevating the latter slightly to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 5. When such cam roll I56 moves from beneath such portion I75, the latter, under the influence of gravity, drops counterclockwise to its initial position as shown in solid lines in this figure.

If desired, the stripper element, during the winding of the coil upon the reel 2i, may be moved to position 2I6 (Figs. 4 and 5) wherein the stripper roll I I3 urges the strip 29 between the latter and the main guide roll 45. Or, if desired, the stripper element may be held in an intermediate position wherein the stripper wedge or nose abuts the coil of strip material in the manner indicated at ZI'I (Fig. 5) Of course, if the stripper element is moved to position 2H5 during the winding or coiling of the strip material, it must be withdrawn to a stripping position when it is desired to unwind the coil of material and feed same back into the mill. When the strip is wound upon the coil ZI and it is desired to feed the strip back into the mill, the coil 2| should be arrested in rotation in such a manner that the outer end ZIB of the strip hangs downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, far enough so that it may be pushed to the left as viewed in this figure by means of the stripper element and grasped in the bite between the rollers 45 and H3. For this purpose the stripper element should be retracted, for example, to a position as at 2I'Ia, or, if desired, a position further to the right (Fig. 5). Substantially simultaneous with the arresting of the rotation of the coil 2!, the roller iSI should be brought to bear against the coil of the strip material to prevent it from unwinding and hindering the movement of the region of the strip end 2I8 into the bite of said rollers 45 and H3.

The down-guide table orgrid 55 is elevated to the position shown in Fig. 4 automatically as a result of the lowering of the limit-stop rolls I52 away from the surface I53 of the links I2, I3. Such lowering takes place, of course, well in advance of the shifting of the stripper element into the position 2 I6. Consequently, when the unwinding of the coil of strip material occurs, the grid 56 is in a raised position and, in combination with the stripper surface member I031),

is capable of guiding the now returmngstrip' material back between the pinch rolls 25, 26 and thence toward the reducing rolls II, I2. This cycle of operation is repeated until the strip is reduced to the desired final thickness.

Either the guide roll 45 or the stripper roll I I3 may be reversably drivable by suitable power means in order to assist in the elimination of buckling of the strip material as it is unwound from the reel 2|. For example, when the reel 2I is reversed in rotation for the unwinding of the coiled strip material thereon, the stripper element guides away from the coil the free extremity thereof as at 2 I8 and into a position between the rolls 45 and H3 whereupon the latter may be urged strongly towards and against the roll 45 with the strip material pressed therebetween. The pulling off or unwinding of the strip material thus may be materially assisted by so driving, for example, the roll 45 by suitable power means whereby such buckling between the reel and said pair of rolls is eliminated. Of course, when the strip of material is grasped between the pinch rolls 25 and 25, and the latter are run at adequate speed, the danger of such buckling between the reel and the rolls 45, I I3 is eliminated and then it is desirable to separate the roll II3 from guide roll 45.

After the strip material has been grasped by the pinch rolls 25, 26 for feeding back into the mill the stripper element IOI may be returned to its initial position indicated at 2I4 (Fig. 4). During the return of the stripper element to its initial position from position 2I6, the cam roll I56 will roll upon the shunt track member I H to the position I56a wherein it engages the ex treme upper surface I84 of the pivoted'arm I85, the latter being shiftable angularly clockwise to carry the cam roll back to its farthermost position to the right (Fig. 5), such carrying of the roll being over the cut-out opening I85 (Fig. '7).

If desired, automatic means may be provided for starting the rotation of the drum 2! after the end of the strip material has penetrated into one of the slots such as 4!. For example, a beam of light may be directed across said slot against a photo-electric cell, such beam being interruptible by the end of the strip when it enters the slot. Such interruption can actuate a switching device for energizing the power means for driving the reel, thereby setting the drum 2! in motion promptly and rapidly in order to take up the strip of material without delay and thus to avoid any buckling therein.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred examples which have given satisfactory results, it'will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coiler and feeder apparatus for metal strip, the combination of: a runout table; a pinch roll assembly positioned for operating upon material movable on said runout table; a coiler drum mounted above said runout table, said drum being provided with a slot for the reception of an end of such material; a coiler guide roll above said runout table and positioned between said pinch roll assembly and said coiler drum; means for diverting materialfrom said runout table upwardly toward said coiler drum whereby an exaeasnzo tremity of such material is directableinto the slot of such drum; a stripper assembly positioned adjacent said diverting means and having a stripper. element associated therewith, the latter element being mounted: for movement from a primary' position in which it comprises aportion of'said: runout table, to a secondary position in which it is positioned sufficiently close to the coil of material upon said drum for guiding the outermost extremity thereof away from the drum and between said stripper element and guide roll; and means for guiding material from between said stripper element and coiler guide roll towards said pinch roll assembly.

2. In a coiler and feeder device for metal strip, the combination of: a runout table; a slotted reel mounted above the runout table and having at least one slot therein adapted for receiving the extremity of such strip material; means for diverting such strip material from the runout table upwardly into a slot of said reel; a reel guide roll mounted above the runout table and adjacent the reel for guiding material onto said reel; a stripper element normally positioned in the plane of the runout table and mounted for movement from the latter position to a stripping position adjacentthe strip material coiled upon said reel for guiding the outer extremity of such coiled strip material away from said reel, said stripper element being provided with stripper roll which is urgeable against said reelguide roll with the strip of material therebetween; and adown-guide element operable in timed-relation to the movement of said stripper element toward said reel guide roll for guidingthe strip of material away from said reel, one of said-rolls being power driven.

3. In a coiler and feeder apparatus for strip material, the combination of: a table, a slotted drum mounted above said table and adapted for receiving the extremity of a strip of material and for coiling same thereabout, a coiler guide roll positioned for guiding material from said table onto said drum during the coiling of the latter thereabouts and from the drum onto the table during the uncoiling of such material; an up-guide element positionable normally in the plane of said table but shiftable to a position for guiding an. extremity of a strip of material from the table into a slot in said drum whereby such material may be coiled thereabout in response to rotation of said drum; a stripper element including a stripper roll situated between a pair of table surface members and also situated between a pair of stripper surface members said surface members converging to form a stripper wedge,- means for shifting said stripper element from a primary position wherein said table surface members are substantially in the plane of said table, to a secondary position wherein said stripper wedge is held adjacent the outer surface of the material coiled upon said drum for guiding the outer extremity of said coiled. material away from the drum, and also being shiftable to a third position wherein said strip of coiled material is pressed between said coiler guide roll and said stripper roll; and a down-guide element movable into register with one of said stripper surface members of said stripper element in timed relation with the movement of the latter into said third position whereby the strip material is guided down onto said table.

4. A coiling and uncoiling mechanism for strip material having in combination a table; a slotted reel mounted abovexsaid table and having at least one slot therein adapted iorureceiving the cit-'- tremity of such strip, an angularly shiftable ups-i guide member mountedbeneath said reel and normally positioned in the plane of such table, means for angularly shifting said up-guide memher from a position in the plane of the table to an up-guide position. for direction such strip into the slot in said reel; a reel guide r011 mounted above the runout table and adjacent said reel for guiding suchstrip from and to said reel; 2. stripper'elementhaving a stripper roll situated between a pair of table surface elements and a pair of stripper surface elements, said pairs of elements converging to form a stripper wedge, said stripper element normally being positioned with the table surface elements in the plane of the table andthe stripper surface elements therebeneath, means for shifting said stripper element from said first position toward said guide roll and means simultaneously operable'with said last-named means" for angularly shifting said table surface and stripper surface elements to apreselected position whereby the latter elements are positioned for stripping away a free outer extremity of suchstrip from said-reel, said stripper element being shiftable by said shift ing means to a position wherein said stripper roll is urged against said guide roll with the strip therebetween; a down-guide element for guiding the strip which is being unwound from said reel, said down-guide element being shiftable froma position normally at or below the plane of the table toa position in alignment with said stripper surface elements; for guiding the strip which is being unwound iromsaid reel.

5. Ina coiler and feeder apparatus the strip material, a runout-table; a slotted reel mounted above the runoutta'lole andhaving aslot adapted for receiving the extremity of astrip of'material; means for diverting strip material from thermiout table upwardly into a slot of said reel; a-=-reel guide roll mounted above the runout tablefor guiding material from the'pi nch rolls; onto the reel; a stripper element having a stripper roll mounted between a pair of stripper surface-elexnents, said stripper elementbeing positionable closely adjacent the material coiled. upon said slotted reel for guiding away fromsuch reel-a free outer extremity'of strip material after the latter has been wound fully thereupon, said stripper element also being positionable with the roll thereof against said reel guide roll with the strip material therebetween; and a down-guide element positioned normally out of the path of material moving upon the runout table, said downguide element being shifta'ole intoalignment with the stripper surface elements of said stripper element for guiding strip. materialbeing unwound from said reel.

-6. In a coiler and. feeder apparatus for strip material, the combination of: a. runout table; a slotted roll mounted above the runout table and adapted for receiving the extremity of a strip of material; a kick-sup for diverting strip material from the runout-table upwardly into the slot of said reel a=guidemol-lalsomoimted above the runout and adjacent to the reel for guiding materiaL toand from saictreel'; a stripper element for stripping away from said reel the outer. tree extremity of strip material coiled thereupon, said; stripper element include ing a stripper roll; and adown-guide element movable into aligned positioniwithisaid stripper element for guiding. such; frees endz ofi striir ma:- terial away from said reel, said; sown-mas ea ments normally being positioned out of the path of the material moving upon the runout table but being movable to said position for guiding the strip material in cooperation with said guide means, said guide and stripper rolls being urgeable towards one another for grasping the strip material therebetween, one of said last-mentioned two rolls being power driven thereby to move the strip of material therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Keeney et a1 July 18, 1933 Broemel May 1, 1934 Steckel Oct. 16, 1934 Mikaelson et a1. Feb. 9, 1937 Montgomery Mar. 2, 1937 Hudson Nov. 7, 1939 Washburn et a1 Feb. 11, 1941 Wilson Apr. 21, 1942

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