US2704022A

US2704022A - Roll mills

Info

Publication number: US2704022A
Application number: US215121A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eugene A Schwarz
Original assignee: SQUIER CORP
Current assignee: SQUIER Corp
Priority date: 1951-03-12
Filing date: 1951-03-12
Publication date: 1955-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-15

Description

March 15, 1955 sc w z 2,704,022.

. ROLL MILLS Filed March 12', 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HERE!!! II BEE!!! "huh,

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March 15, 1955 E. A. SCHWARZ ROLL MILLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1951 V INVENTOR.

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United States Patent ROLL MILLS Eugene A. Schwarz, Snyder, N. Y., assignor to The Squier Corporation, a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1951, Serial No. 215,121

Claims. (Cl. 100-163) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus or roll mills for pressing materials such as sugar cane, tree bark, and others, in which the upper roll is pressed against two or more lower rolls, and in which a turnplate is used to deflect the material from the bight between the upper roll and one of the lower rolls into the bight between the upper roll and another lower roll.

In mills of this type, the turnplate is subject to wear and to damage by the material passing between the rolls to a greater extent than other parts of the mill, and consequently, it becomes necessary at intervals to remove the turnplate and either to repair the same or replace 1t with another turnplate. This in the past has necessitated a partial disassembly of the mill, such as the removal of the upper housing parts and raising the upper roll to a sufficient extent so that the turnplate could be raised sufliciently to enable the turnplate to be lifted to pass between the upper roll and one of the lower rolls. Since these mills are generally of large size, considerable difiiculty and delay was encountered when a turnplate had to be removed. Such a delay is particularly objectionable to the mill owner if the turnplate must be removed during the time that the sugar cane is being harvested or when the pressing of other materials is urgent.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a roll mill which is constructed to enable a turnplate to be qulckly removed and replaced. A further object 1s to provide a roll mill having a bearing housing, which is so constructed that when the upper roll is raised, it Wlll afford access to the turnplate to permit inspection and removal of the same. Another object is to provide a roll mill with a bearing housing which is so constructed that the turnplate may be removed in the direction of its length from the mill. A further object is to provide a roll mill which is so constructed that the turnplate may be removed from a side of the mill without shifting or removing any parts of the bearing housings of the mill. A further object is to construct the bearing housings of a roll mill so that the turnplate may be removed through an opening of either housing.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the 1I1V6D.t1011 and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connectiog with the appended claims.

In the accompanying rawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a roll mill embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof, on line 2-2, Fig. 3, but showing the upper roll elevated and the turnplate in position to be removed in the direction of its len th.

l ig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof, the section being taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary transverse sectional elevation with parts of the mill omitted and showing the turnplate being removed from the mill.

#In the accompanying drawings, the improvements embodying this invention are illustrated by way of example as applied to a three roll mill of the type which may be used for expressing liquids from sugar cane, tree bark, wood chips and other materials. This roll null as illustrated includes an upper roll 6 and two lower rolls 7 and 8. The rolls may be of any suitable or usual construction and are provided with the usual circumferential grooves 9 arranged on the rolls in such manner that the annular peaks or projections of the lower rolls enter into the grooves 9 of the upper roll. The upper roll may also be "ice provided at its ends with the usual flanges 10 between which the peripheral portions of the lower rolls extend to hold the rolls in correct operative relation to each other.

The upper and lower rolls are provided respectively with roll shafts 11 and 12 which extend beyond the ends of the rolls and which are journalled in suitable bearing housings arranged at the opposite ends of the rolls. These bearing housings may be of the general type shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 207,885 filed January 26, 1951, and each includes a lower housing member 15 and an upper housing member 16. The shafts 12 of the lower rolls are journalled in bearings 17, one side of each of which is formed to rest on guide surfaces formed on an upwardly extending middle portion 18 of the lower housing member. The upper housing member 16 is of substantially inverted V-shape or of A-shape as clearly shown in Fig. l. The upper housing member 16, consequently, has two downwardly extending inclined legs, the lower ends of which may be secured to the lower housing member 15 in any suitable or desired manner, for example, as shown in the patent to Faber No. 1,810,102 of June 16, 1931. The inner surfaces of the downwardly extending legs have guide surfaces 19 which cooperate with the bearings 17 for the lower roll shafts, these bearings being adjustable lengthwise of the guide surfaces 19 and the corresponding guide surfaces of the lower housing member. The upper housing member is provided in the middle portion thereof with an upwardly extending recess 19a terminating at a distance from the upper end of this housing member and being provided at opposite sides of the recess with guides 20 for the bearing for the upper roll shaft 11. This bearing may be of any suitable or desired construction, that shown being made of upper and

lower parts

22 and 23 which may be suitably connected to each other in any suitable or desired manner, for example, by means of bolts or screws 24, Fig. 1.

The upper housing member is also provided with the usual hydraulic or power actuated mechanism for pressing the upper roll downwardly against the lower rolls 7 and 8, and this hydraulic mechanism as shown by way of example includes a cylinder having an upper bore 25 in which a piston 26 may reciprocate. The cylinder is closed at its upper end by a removable closure member or cap 25a. Fluid under pressure may pass to and from the upper portion of the cylinder through a suitable pipe or duct 28 extending through the cap 25a for urging the piston 26 downwardly against the upper bearing member 22. These pistons in the two bearing housings act on the upper roll shaft 11 to force the upper roll downwardly against the lower rolls. The hydraulic mechanism also includes means for raismg the upper roll, and for this purpose in the construction illustrated by way of example, the cylinder in the upper housing member 16 is provided with a bore 30 of reduced diameter in which a portion of the piston of reduced diameter operates. Consequently, by admitting fluid under pressure through a pipe or conduit 31 and by discharging fluid under pressure from the portion of the cylinder above the piston 26, the fluid pressure may react against the shoulder of the piston joining the two portions thereof of different diameters and thus raise the piston. The piston is provided near the lower end thereof with an annular groove 32 and the upper bearing part 22 is provided with holding members 34 rigidly secured to the upper bearing member 22 and having lips or flanges extending loosely into the groove 32 so that when the pistons in the two housing members are raised by the fluid pressure entering the conduit 31, the bearing

parts

22 and 23, the shaft 11 and the upper roll 6 will also be raised. By means of this construction, the upper roll 6 is mounted entirely on the upper housing member and when raised as described, the weight of the upper roll and its bearings is supported from the lower housing member only through the inclined legs of the upper member.

Roll mills of this type are provided with turnplates which scrape the material from one of the lower rolls and deflect the same into the bight between the upper roll and the other lower roll. 36 represents a turnplate of this type, which as clearly shown in Fig. 4 is provided at the leading edge thereof with teeth or projections 37 formed to enter into the grooves of one of the lower rolls. In the construction shown, it is assumed that the material to be pressed enters from the left in Fig. 1, into the bight between the upper roll and the lower roll 7, and consequently, the leading edge of the turnplate will be in contact with the surface of the lower roll 7, and the curved upper surface of the turnplate deflects material from the roll 7 into the bight between the upper roll 6 and the other lower roll 8. The turnplate is securely mounted to resist the force exerted on the same by the material discharged from the bight between the

rolls

6 and 7, and in the construction shown for this purpose, the turnplate is mounted on the upper end of a turnplate beam 40. This beam may be provided at its upper end with means for accurately locating and holding the turnplate on its beam, such for example as a groove or recess 41, and the lower face of the turnplate is provided with a longitudinal rib or key 42 formed to enter into the groove 41.

The turnplate 36 may be securely fastened to the turnplate beam 40 in any suitable or desired manner, and in the construction shown for this purpose, the turnplate beam is provided with a plurality of upright bores or holes through which bolts 44 may pass. The upper ends of these bolts are threaded to enter into threaded aper tures 45 in the turnplate, extending upwardly from the lower surface thereof. By means of these bolts, the turnplate may be securely fastened to the upper part of the turnplate beam 40.

Since it is necessary to adjust the turnplate toward and from the lower roll with which it cooperates, the turnplate beam 40 is suitably mounted on the bearing housings in such a manner as to make this adjustment possible. In the construction shown, the two bearing housings are provided on their inner faces with inwardly extending pivots or trunnions 47 and the turnplate beam is provided with suitable bearing parts 48 preferably formed integral therewith and formed to seat on the studs or trunnions 47. The turnplate beam may be adjusted to swing about the pivots in any suitable or desired manner. In the construction illustrated, the turnplate beam is provided at opposite sides thereof with upwardly extending slots or recesses 50 and shafts 51 are mounted to oscillate in apertures in the lower bearing housing members 15. The ends of the shafts 51 are provided with cranks or eccentric pins 52 formed to engage in the slots 50. The outer ends of the shafts 51 are each rigidly secured to one end of an arm 54, and the other ends of these arms may be pivoted to adjusting

rods

55 and 56. The outer ends of these rods are threaded and extend through lugs 57 formed on the lower bearing housing member and by means of nuts 58, the adjusting

rods

55 and 56 may be moved in such a manner as to swing the arms 54 and the shafts 51 connected therewith so that the cranks or eccentric pins 52 operating in the slots or recesses 50 in the turnplate beam will swing the beam as desired. Any other means for adiusting the turnplate relativelv to the rolls mav be provided, if desired.

It will be noted particularly that the construction of the bearing housings is such that the middle portions 18 of the lower housing members terminate at a level below that of the turnplate 36, so that the ends of the turnplate are readily accessible through the space above the middle portions 18. By mounting the upper roll so that the same can be raised out of its operative position and disconnecting the turnplate from its su porting beam, the turnplate can be raised so that the teeth or projections 37 will clear the grooves or recesses in the lower roll 7. Also the upper roll may be raised to a sufiicient extent so that the flanges thereof will be above the level of the upper surface of the turnplate when the same is raised out of engagement with the lower roll 7 and its beam 40. The turnplate can then be removed in the direction of its length through the open space provided in either of the two bearing housings.

In order to facilitate the removal of the turnplate, some means are preferably provided whereby the turnplate can be lifted from the turnplate beam and out of engagement with the grooves in the roll 7, and removed endwise through the opening in either housing. This may, for example, be accomplished by providing the turnplate in one or both ends thereof with threaded holes 60, and a bar or rod 61 having threaded ends may be screwed into each of these holes. Consequently, if

the turnplate is not too heavy, only one rod need be used so that a man may lift the turnplate and move it endwise through the opening in either bearing housing after the turnplate has been disconnected from its beam. In the case of large roll mills, both bars or rods 61 are employed at opposite ends of the turnplate so that men at opposite sides of the machine may remove the turnplate. Since the rib 42 of the turnplate may tend to bind in the groove 41 in the turnplate beam, the bolts 44 are preferably initially only partly unscrewed from the threaded holes 45 of the turnplate, whereupon by means of upwardly directed hammer blows on the lower ends of the bolts, the turnplate can be forced upwardly clear of the groove 41, whereupon the bolts are completely unscrewed from the turnplate so that the same may be removed by means of the bars or rods 61.

In prior constructions, when it became necessary to remove a turnplate, it was necessary to release the upper bearing housing members and lift the same clear of the roll mill. It was then necessary to raise the upper roll sufiiciently so that the turnplate could be removed laterally with reference to its length through the space between the upper roll and one of the lower rolls. By means of my improved construction, the upper housing members 16 may be left in their operative positions while the turnplate is being removed and the upper roll need be raised only sufficiently, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that the turnplate is clear of the rolls and of the turnplate beam 40, and this is effected by disconnecting the pipe or conduit 28 from the supply of fluid under pressure and connecting the pipe or conduit 31 with such fluid, whereupon the piston will be easily raised and held in such raised position as long as desired. In replacing the turnplate, the rods or bars 61 are screwed into the ends of the turnplate and one of these bars or rods is passed through the openings in the two housings from one side of the mill so that it can be grasped at the other side thereof, whereupon the turnplate can readily be positioned as required, and by means of the bolts 44, the turnplate can be pulled down into its operative relation to the turnplate beam 40.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a roll mill having an upper roll and a pair of lower rolls, a turnplate between said lower rolls, a bearing housing at each end of said rolls, each housing including a lower housing member on which said lower rolls are journalled and an upper housing member supported on said lower housing member and on which said upper roll is journalled, that improvement in which said lower housing members have their middle portions spaced below the level of said turnplate, means on said bearing housings for raising said upper roll to permit removal of said turnplate in a direction lengthwise of said rolls through the space above said middle portion of a lower housing member, and a rod having its end formed to be rigidly and removably secured to an end of said tumplate for raising said turnplate and moving the same in the direction of its len th through said space.

2. A roll mill according to claim 1, in which an end of said turnplate is provided with a threaded a erture in which the end of said rod may engage for lifting said turnplate and moving the same lengthwise through said space.

3. A roll mill having an upper roll and a pair of lower rolls, bearing housings at opposite ends of said rolls, each of said bearing housings including a lower housing member, bearings supported by said lower housing member on which said lower rolls are iournalled, an upper housing member having a pair of downwardly and outwardly inclined legs, the lower ends of which are secured to the end portions of said lower housing member, bearings for said upper roll, guides on said upper housing member on which said bearings for said upper roll are movable vertically, a turnplate beam mounted on said lower housing members, a turnplate removably secured to the upper portion of said beam and arranged below said upper roll and between said lower rolls, the middle portions of said lower housing members extending upwardly between said bearings of said lower rolls and terminating below the level of the lower portion of said upper roll, a hydraulic mechanism mounted on each upper housing member and including a piston having an upper face against which fluid pressure may act and which is connected with said bearings for said upper roll for forcing said upper roll toward said lower rolls, said piston also having a lower surface against which fluid pressure may act to move said bearings upwardly to raise said upper roll sufliciently to permit said turnplate to be removed from said roll mill in a direction substantially parallel to said rolls through the space between said middle portion of said lower housing member and the lower portion of said upper roll.

4. In a roll mill having an upper roll and a pair of lower rolls, bearing housings at opposite ends of said rolls on which said rolls are journalled, and a turnplate mounted on said housings and arranged between the upper portions of said lower rolls, that improvement in which said housings are provided with openings substantially in alinement with said turnplate, and means mounted on said housings for raising said upper roll to provide between said upper roll and said lower rolls suflicient clearance to permit said turnplate to be moved into and out of operative relation to said lower rolls and in the direction of its length through the opening in one of said housing members, a rod, and cooperating connecting means on said rod and an end of said turnplate for rigidly and removably connecting said rod with an end of said turnplate, for moving said turnplate into and out of operative relation to said roll mill.

5. A roll mill having an upper roll and a pair of lower rolls, bearing housings at opposite ends of said rolls, each of said bearing housings including a lower housing member having an upwardly extending middle portion, bearings supported by said lower housing member on which said lower rolls are journalled, an upper housing member having a pair of downwardly and outwardly inclined legs, means for securing the lower ends of said upper housing member to said lower housing member, bearings for said upper roll slidably mounted on said upper housing member for movement toward and from said lower roll bearings, a turnplate beam adjustably mounted on said lower housing member, a turnplate secured to the upper portion of said beam, said middle portions of said lower housing members terminating below the level of said turnplate, said lower roll bearings being supported in part by said middle portions of said lower housing members, and means on said bearing housings for raising said upper roll to permit said turnplate to be removed from said roll mill in a direction substantially parallel to said rolls.