US2679363A

US2679363A - Coil handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2679363A
Application number: US760326A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earll R Muddiman
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1947-07-11
Filing date: 1947-07-11
Publication date: 1954-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1971-05-25

Description

May 25, 1954 E. R. MUDDIMAN COIL HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORI Filed July 11, 1947 4211 EMz/aawqv,

HIS ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1954 E. R. MUDDIMAN COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July 11. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 54211 E -M U00/ INVENTORI HIS ATTORN EY.

May 25, 1954 E. R. MUDDIMAN COIL HANDLING APPARATUS -3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1947 INVENTOR.

MN m Hi5 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 25, 1954 COIL HANQM APBAItAT-US Earl! R. Muddiman, 'Wilkinsburg,

Pa, ass sno o United States Steel Corporation, a'corporation of New Jersey App i a ion July 11, 1947, Seria o- 769,3 6

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for handling sheet metal coils during processing, and particu ar y to app ra u for p ition n co for engagement by uncoiling mandrels,

A bject of the in ention i to provid improved handlins ppar u for m chanica l poit onins coils fo n a e by noo ling me drels, irrespective of varying outside coil diameter Fu the o jec f he i ve ion ar to ovi ha dl ng app r tu having improved mechanism for elevating coils and automatically stop.- pins ver ical m vement at mand l l a to provid impr d ap aratus faci itatin .furthe p ocessi such s t p r ro l n o oil i h a ess lik l h d o coil d m el i com lish n t s nd her o e t of t e pre en in en 1 av r ided m ov s u tural deta l pr f r e orms o h ch a e hown in t e ac o pa yin drawings, wh reip Figure 1 is a top plan view of a coil handling a pa atu m od ea s of t resen nept n a in t l d be een h e ry ram and ne i s me dr su as th e p eding a t m r l n s a d;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the a pa atu take su ta t ally on line H o Figure Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the apparatus taken substantially on l ne ll-11; o u e 1;

Figure l is a vertical sectional view taken subs en ie ly n l I' -31 of Figure l and o ing one form of mechanism for stopping vertical movement when the coil is at mandrel level; and

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a modified mechanism for similarly stopping vertical movement.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Figure 2 there is shown at H) an inclined entry ramp substantially at floor level on which coils H of sheet metal are placed by suitable handling or conveying mechanism. The entry ramp includes the usual retractible stop I 2 which restrains coil movement until it is desired to place a coil on the uncoiling mandrels, designated 13. Said mandrels are of any usual construction, but ordinarily include retracti'ble fingers l4 engageable with the inside of coil ll. The mandrels are rotatable on a fixed horizontal axis, and in temper mills have mechanism for restraining rotation and thereby tensioning the strip. The equipment thus far described is conventional and hence is not described in greater detail.

. the present in n on hasdles coils between entry ramp l9 and mandrels 3 and comprises a c adle 15 suppor ed n a a iase 5, eferably loca ed i a pit l1 e eath floor level. Mechanism is provided fror moving s id cradl ver ically a ho z ntally to cony soil fr m ram I .0 t m d el e in pos t on, he crad e ha a d wnward sl pi g e n I9 and pwa dly slopin ct n 29 and F gure 2- W en the cradle is in pos t t receive a coi i om entr ramp I e (the do ted line position of Figure 2) section 19 forms a cone i u on of said ramp- On ret c i n o o 12, a Coil 'o s f om amp 0 onto the rad e.

Carriag t include a horiz nta ly b vertically fixed outer box 22, Said box is supported within pit I! on guides 24 which constrain carriage movement to a horizontal path. A rearwardly extending floor plate 25 is atfixed to the upper edge of box 22 to Cover the pit H. The guides preferably include flanged wheels 26 r a a y mounted on the carr age and ridi g on rails 2'] fixed to shelves on the sides of the pit, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. Preferab y ydrau i r eumat pi a cyl nd means a e v ded o movin th c rria e, although the invention is not limited to any particular motive means.

inner box 29 is mounted within outer box 22 for relative vertical movement. Cradle l5 is supported at the top of box 29. A pair of extensible supply pipes 23 are supported in the pit and are connected to a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 30. Said cylinder is fixed within outer box 22 and contains a piston 3|. Said piston is connected with inner box 29 by a flange 3-2 on the piston and a bracket 33 on said inner box, whereby the inner box, cradle and a coil thereon are raised or lowered on piston movement.

After a coil has been placed on the cradle, as shown in the dotted line position of Figure 2 said cradle is elevated to locate the coil center at mandrel level, which is somewhat higher than the level of the entry ramp, or of the cradle at this position. Since there is variation in coil outside diameters, positioning is in accordance with the inside of the coil. Means are provided 'llhe apparatus of I for automatically stopping vertical movement when the coil reaches mandrel level.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 4, one form of stop means includes a pair of vertically disposed

guides

34 and 35 supported adjacent the cradle. A horizontally extending cylinder 3'5 is mounted on said guides for relative vertical movement. A limit switch 31 is fixed to said guides above said cylinder in position to be actuated on upward 3 movement of the cylinder. The cylinder contains an extensible and retractible spindle 38 adapted for projection within the coil central opening.

After a coil is placed on the cradle, spindle 38 is projected. The cradle and coil are lifted by operation of piston 3| in cylinder 30. The lower inside face of the coil engages spindle 38 and lifts said spindle and cylinder 36, until the latter actuates limit switch 3l. Actuation of the switch stops upward movement of the coil, any suitable mechanism being provided for the purpose, as, for example, a solenoid 60 and a valve 6| operated by said solenoid and situated in the fluid line to cylinder 30, as shown schematically in Figure 2. The, design is such that limit switch 31 is actuated when the coil reaches mandrel level. Following switch actuation, spindle 33 is retracted.

After being raised, carriage I6 is moved forward horizontally by actuation of piston and cylinder means 28. A flanged stop 39 in the path of the carriage stops horizontal movement when the coil is vertically aligned with the mandrels, the full line position of Figure 2.

The mechanism just described thus aligns the coil axially with mandrels I3. The latter may be projected into the coil and fingers [4 extended to engage and support the coil for unwinding. After the mandrels engage the coil, cradle I is lowered and its horizontal movement reversed, being thereby returned to the dotted line position of Figure 2. While the coil on the mandrels is unwinding, another coil may be placed on cradle l5 and elevated ready to be moved forward to mandrel engaging position.

Figure 5 shows schematically a modified construction wherein photoelectric means are employed for stopping cradle vertical movement. As shown in Figure 5, a light source 5| is provided for projecting a beam through the coil central opening. A photoelectric cell 52 is mounted at the opposite side of the coil in a position to be energized by light source 5 I. As the coil is raised, it reaches a position where the path between light source 5! and cell 52 is interrupted by the coil material. The circuit through the cell is thereby broken, opening switches of photoelectric relay 53. This action corresponds to actuation of limit switch 3? and causes vertical movement to cease through any suitable mechanism.

It is seen that the present invention provides handling apparatus that mechanically positions coils accurately for mandrel engagement. Coil handling is thus greatly facilitated, and coil damage caused by mandrel engagement is minimized due to accurate placement of the coils before such engagement.

While I have shown but certain embodiments of the invention, it is apparent that further modifications may arise. Therefore I do not wish to be limited by the disclosure set forth, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for handling coils of sheet material comprising a carriage, a cradle mounted on said carriage for relative vertical movement, means in said carriage for elevating said cradle, and means for stopping said elevating means when a coil on said cradle reaches a predetermined level, said stop means including a spindle adapted to be projected into the coil opening and being engageable with the wall of the opening, means mounting said spindle for relative vertical movement, and a limit switch with which said spindle mounting means is engageable for stopping actuation of said elevating means.

2. An apparatus for transferring coils of strip material from an entry ramp to a rotatable uncoiling mandrel comprising a cradle adapted to receive coils from the ramp, means for elevating said cradle, a stop adapted to act on the portion of a coil body adjacent the central opening thereof for automatically stopping upward movement of said cradle when a coil thereon attains mandrel level, and means for moving said cradle horizontally toward the mandrel and thus in a single horizontal motion positioning a previously elevated coil for engagement by the mandrel.

3. An apparatus for transferring coils of strip material from an entry ramp to a rotatable uncoiling mandrel comprising a carriage supported for horizontal movement in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the mandrel, a cradle supported on said carriage for relative vertical movement and adapted to receive coils from the ramp, means for elevating said cradle after it has received a coil, a stop adapted to act on the portion of a coil body adjacent the central opening thereof for automatically stopping upward movement of said cradle when a coil thereon attains mandrel level, and means for moving said carriage and said cradle horizontally toward the mandrel after said cradle has been elevated and thus in a single horizontal motion positioning a previously elevated coil for engagement by the mandrel.

4. The combination with an entry ramp and an uncoiling mandrel which is spaced longitudinally from the terminus of said ramp, and is rotatable on a horizontal axis, of an apparatus for transferring coils of strip material from said ramp to said mandrel comprising a carriage supported for horizontal movement between said ramp and a point beneath said mandrel, a cradle supported on said carriage for relative vertical movement, said carriage and said cradle having a position in which said cradle forms a continuation of said ramp for receiving a coil therefrom, means for elevating said cradle after it has received'a coil and while the preceding coil is still on said mandrel, a stop adapted to act on the portion of a coil body adjacent the central opening thereof for automatically stopping upward movement of said cradle when a coil thereon attains mandrel level, and means for moving said carriage and said cradle horizontally to a position under the mandrel axis after said cradle has been elevated and the preceding coil exhausted and thus in a single horizontal motion positioning the new coil for engagement by said mandrel.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said stop includes a spindle adapted to project into the central opening of a coil and to engage the coil body adjacent the central opening thereof when said cradle is elevated and a limit switch operated by said spindle on engagement by the latter with the coil.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said stop includes a light source adapted to cast a beam through the coil opening, a photoelectric cell on the opposite side of the coil opening adapted to be de-energized when the coil body adjacent the central opening thereof interrupts the beam, and a switch operated by said photoelectric cell on de-energization thereof.

17. A power-driven automatic locating gear for locating a load relatively to a predetermined axis comprising a base frame, a cradle movable relatively to said frame and serving to receive the load, gauging means arranged to assess the relevant dimensions of said load upon said cradle, operating means for moving said cradle, and control means responsive to said gauging means for causing said operating means to locate the load relative to the predetermined axis.

8. A power-driven automatic locating gear for locating a load relatively to a predetermined axis comprising a base frame, a cradle movable relatively to said frame and serving to receive the load, gauging means arranged to assess the relevant dimensions of said load upon said cradle, operating means for elevating said cradle, and control means responsive to said gauging means for causing said operating means to center said load relative to said predetermined axis.

9. A power-driven automatic locating gear as claimed in claim 8, said control means comprising a control member, said gauging means being movable vertically with said cradle relatively to said control member and serving to actuate said control member to control said operating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,156,695 Klein May 2, 1939 2,193,765 Krengle Mar. 12, 1940 2,198,644 Wettengel Apr. 30, 1940 2,207,893 Nash July 16, 1940 2,268,693 Boyer Jan. 6, 1942 2,281,423 Egge Apr. 28, 1942 2,419,699 Wood Apr. 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 614,944 Germany June 22, 1935