US2857195A - Protector - Google Patents

Description

F. FISCHER 2,857,195

PROTECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 21, 1958 Filed June 10, 1955 INVENTOR. FRITZ FISCHER A, @ggf ..IIIIS www FIG.

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Oct'. 21, '1958 F. FISCHER 2,857,195

` PROTECTOR 1 Filed Jun 10, 1955 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4.

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Oct. 21, 1958 F. FISCHER 2,857,195

PROTECTOR Filed June 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

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INVENTOR. FRlTZ FISCHER 247ML imm/S* 4' Myx United States lPatent Oiice @85u95 Patented Oct. 2l, 31h53 o mortieren Fritz Fischer, New York," N. Y., assignor to Heppeiistll Company, Pittsburgh, Pal., a corporation of Pennsyl VaniaV o i Appiieatiunliune 1'05,l i955', serial No. 514,471

4 Claims. `(cig 294-104) This' invention relates to' a protector which may be positioned betweeiian object and a device engaging such objectl to protect the'A object against` damage. More particularly, this invention pertains to a material protector capable of spacing such an object from at least a part of such a device to inhibitv relative movement or conL tact' between object and device' to a protective extent as in the' case', for example only, of a coil' of steel strip and a tongs to manipulate the' same.

inthe handling of objects' like coils of steel strip, care is desirable t-o" protect not vonly the surface but also the' edges of the turns` of coiled strip to eliminate discards and/or anyA reworking thereof. Manipulators like tongs are devices'wh'ich must be ofs'uiiicient strength to handle such coil'swhich' are extremely heavy. One mode of engaging" aiidtransportig" vertical coils is currently performed in many millsby so-called vertical coil tongs which may be of the kind shown in United States Patent No. 2,536,932. The mass and weight of such a'tong's is also'y considerable so that acrane operator and iioorf man'have to exercise care and closely coordinate their efforts to'"avoid'da'rnageA to the co'il'as a tongs is brought in'topositio'n where itc'an-be operated to engage o'r disL engage the coil.` `A common practice often used in picking up' a vertical coil is to have the tongs brought to rest'o'n'the upper end of the coil which supports it directlyk in contact'with the edges of 'the co'il turns before the to'n'gsis" closed, particularly where'the" tongs is a fully' automatic latching and un'l'atchi'ng tongs.

An arrangement such a's'that shown in United States Patent'No. 2,675,261 h'aslbeen proposed to try to counteract the"det`rimental effect Ofbringin'g a'tongs to 'rest againsthe" turn 'edges of a coil.V However, such arrangements' fail to appreciate and to' take' care of damage to coil turnedges which' may occur as a result of Contact during' transverse' movement of a tongs across such edges in the'course of'fthe adjustmentof such tongsrrela-y tive to the coil and/or in the course of the closing or opening'of the tongs.' In closing, such a tongs will grip a coil with'a force' severaltimes greater than the weight of the coil being handled.

inthe new protectorof'this invention'a separation` is effected between"A object and troublesome areas" of a handling' device. Thereby, direct` relative rubbing or sliding'contact betweensuch a 'handling device and an object or workpiece to be AengagedV or disengaged is reduced or' eliminated'.l At the Sametime, necessary transverse or other'relativermovement between that device and object is provided for with theresult that damage such as that heretofore experiencedA upon turn edges of coils is avoided.' Moreover, crane and mill iioior operators are freed Ifrom havingto exercise as rn'uhc'zire' as formerly in the;` conduct Vof sch"w o'rk.

Other objects' and'jadvantages" of this" inventionv will be apparent from'th followingy description and from o in rwhich theiaccompanying drawings, which are illustrative only,

l Figure lilisa' Viewfin elevation showing one embodiment of this invention applied to a coil tongs which, as shown, is yin open position on theftop of a vertical coil and is about to be closed to grip that coil;

' 'l Figure 2 is`a view similar to that shown in Figure l with 'the' jaws of said tongs'l in the course of closing;

Figure 3 is 'a View of the structure shown in Figures l and 2 with the tongs jaws fully closed and gripping such` vertical coil without detrimental contact between suchtongs and coil; l

Figure 4 is a partial view in end elevationof the structure shown in Figures l to 3 showing the ends of the illustrated embodiment of my new protector;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the newv protector shown in preceding figures with tongs being omitted better to show my new protector; Y K

Figurev 6 is a' longitudinal section taken alongV line VI-Vl of Figure 5;

Figure' 7 isa staggered cross-sectional View of the protector shown inV Figure 5 taken along'line VII- VII of Figurel 5;`

Figure 8 is a plan view of the slide from a` protector illustrated in the preceding figures; Figure 9is a plan View o f the new protector as illustrated in Figure 3 with the` tongs structure omitted forpurposes of clear depiction ofthe new device;

Figure 10` is a longitudinal section taken along line X-X of- Figure 9; and

Figure` 11 is'a view of a modification of my protector similar` to the View shown in Figures 6 an'd l0 with' the slide in an intermediate position. I

Referrin'g'to the '.drawings, a tongsl 10 may be utilized with' one embodiment of myv invention applied thereto as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 to engage and handle an object or workpiece such, for example, as a vertical coil 11. Tongs'10` may comprise'a generally U`shaped channel beam 12 having a length usually sufficient to span the diameter of the central opening or window i3 of Vthecoil 11 which it is to engage. An inner jaw or shoe 14 is preferably forged so `as to be an integral part of beam 12 and to depend'belowy the plane of the lowest surface 15V thereof. An outer jaw or shoe 16 positioned in opposed relation to inner shoe 14 may be pivotally connected at 17 to a bent bar i8. In opening, the shoes 14 and 16 move apart relative to each other in a horizontal direction to release an object such as coil 11 whichwill have been deposited in a predetermined position prior to such opening.

Although as shown, tongs 10 is intended to handle a single vertical coil, it is sometimes the practice to place two such coils side by side so thatv each of the shoes of a tongs may enter a coil window and thenl by moving the shoes toward one another to grip the coils for lifting by pressing them against one another. A tongs for handling two coils is sometimes referred to as a vertical double coil tongs and may utilize anouter shoe with a convex cylindrical face instead with a concave cylindrical face like that on shoe i6 in a single coil tongs iii. The vertical engagement face of the inner shoe 14 on tongs 10 has a convex-cylindrical configuration.

The operation of tongs 10 will be understood by those skilled in the art to whom this invention is' disclosed. In brief, when the two interlocking parts of a latch 24 release one another, the lifting of clevis 25 by a crane hook or other elevating member will raise links 26 and Z7 in turn" raising links 28 and 29 respectively. Link 28 is fulcrumed at 30 on a connector 3i while link 29 is fulcrumed at 32 on connector 31. The lowermost end of link 28 is pivoted at 33 to beam 12 while-the lowermost end of link 29 is pivoted at 34 to bent bar 18 with the result that such raising of the links as described moves jaws 14 and 16 toward one another while the Alowering of such links moves such jaws away from each other. Successivelowerings in the illustrative tongs respectively latch and unlatch (in alternation) .the interlocking parts of latch 24 when the links move toward beam 12 as for instance when beam 12 presses its weight against a solid object such as the vertical coil 11. When the parts of latch 24 are interlocked in an alternate lowering the links will remain collapsed during, a succeeding lifting of clevis thereby lifting opened device 10 from its object and making it available for the handling of a succeeding coil or .other workpiece.

In order to handle or lift vertical coil 11, the shoes 14 and 16 are relatively moved toward each other in a horizontal direction until they grip side 19 of coil 11 between them with a force generally several times as great as the weight of coil 11. To eiect such a closing of jaws 14 and 16, the movement of beam 12 is in relative direction indicated by arrow 20 while the movement of bent bar 18 is in the relative direction indicated by arrow 21. Generally, there would be a transverse rubbing by underside 15 of beam 12 against the uppermost coil edges in sides 19 `and 22 of coil 11 underlying beam 12 were it not for -the provision on beam 12 of my new protector 23. Conversely, relative transverse movement takes place in a reverse direction when jaws 14 and 16 are opened. e

The new material protector 23 may be applied to an existing tongs, like tongs 10, or it may be built as an integral part of material handling devices suitable therefor which may be manufactured hereafter. The illustrated embodiment of the new material protector 23 may comprise a base member in the form of a bed of a generally inverted T-shape with a finished surface 36 adapted to make contact with underside 15 of a handling device like tongs 10. In a tongs, like tongs 10, the underside 15 of beam 12 is often rough. Hence, before the application of a protector 23 thereto at least that portion of underside 15 to be in contact with surface 36 should preferably also be finished machined for rigid direct seating between underside 15 and surface 36. In the'illustrated embodiment, four such protectors 23 are used -on beam 12 and located at the four corners of underside 15. It is obvious that other dispositions and arrangements of my new protector may be made in accordance with whatever the particular handling device and nature of the service involved may be.

Bed 35 may also be provided with undercut shoulders 37 chamfered along the edges 38 to provide recesses for ends 39a of a support member in the form of a generally U-shaped slide 39. Drilled openings 40 for cap screws may be provided through bed 35 in registry with correspondingly drilled and tapped openings 41 inthe underside 15 of beam 12. Thus, each bed 35 may be secured to beam 12 by cap screws 42 having heads which lit within counterbores 43 so that no part thereof projects below the bottom surface 44 of bed 35. An inverted recess 45 extends the length of bed 35 and has a block 46 therein adjacent an appropriate end of bed 35. A rod opening 47 is drilled through block 46. Block 46 may be attached in recess'45 by welding and its lower edge 48 does not project below surface 44 of bed 35.

Each slide 39 has the undersides 49 o-f its edges 39a substantially overlying the shoulders 37 in the various relative positions of bed 35 and slide 39. The oor 50 of each slide 39 may be drilled and tapped at 51 on each side of a retainer block 52. Block 52 may be welded to floor 50 adjacent an end of slide 39 at an appropriate distance from block 46 in all positions of slide 39. The size of block 52 is such that it will remain and slide 4 within the groove 45 of bed 35. Block 52 may be drilled -f at 53 in alignment with opening 47 in the block 46 to accommodate a spring bolt 54 adapted to pass through openings 53 and 47.

A pair of liners 55 may be provided for oor 50 of each slide 39 to each side of retainer 52. Each liner 55 has a series of drilled and countersunk holes 56 in registry with the drilled and tapped holes 51. Thereby, the liners 55 may be affixed to slide 39 as shown in Figures 7 and 8 by machine screws which do not project either above liners 55 or below slide 39. Grooves 57 may be provided in the wear face of the liners 55 for a lubricant like grease, the upper side of the liners during operation being in slidable engagement with the finished underside 44 of its bed 35 to each side of groove 45. The upper side of the liners 55 is correspondingly finished for sliding and bearing engagement against such surfaces 44 on each of the beds 35. The underside 58 of the slide 39 is chamfered across the lower corner of the front and back edges thereof as shown at 59 to round olf such edges and obviate their catching against any part of the object against which they may bear. A clearance bevel portion 60 may also be provided in slide 39.

In assembling a protector 23, a spring rod 54 of suitable length is utilized. A nut 63 may be permanently aixed to one end thereof while the other end may be threaded and drilled for the reception in due course of a nut 61 and a cotter pin 62. In making an assembly of the illustrated embodiment, the drilled end of spring rod 54 may be inserted through opening 53 in retainer 52. Then an appropriate spring 64 may be inserted over i the drilled end of rod 54 following which that drilled end may be passed through opening 47 in block 46. Thereupon, nut 61 should be used to engage the threaded and drilled end of rod 54 and a cotter 62 inserted through the drilled opening to lock nut 61 in place, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, to complete the illustrated assembly.

The normal at rest biased position of each slide 39 for the illustrated embodiment used on a vertical coil tongs 10, is to the left relative to its bed 35, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The biasing is caused by spring 64 pressing retainer 52 and block 46 in a separating direction to the extent permitted by the nuts on rod 54 when the parts of the protector are not undergoing relative movement. Because of the particular dimensions of the illustrated vertical coil tongs 10, the two protectors 23 aixed to the underside 15 at the left-hand end of beam 12 are somewhat shorter than the two such protectors 23 aixed to the underside of beam 12 at the right-hand end thereof as viewed in Figures l to 3.

When tongs 10 are open, that is, when jaws 14 and 16 are apart, the relative position of the slides 39 to their respective beds 35 is as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6. In that position, the tongs may be lowered until they come to rest on a vertical coil like coil 11, the descent being readily controllable by the man on the mill oor so that no damage is done to the uppermost coil turn edges when they come in contact with surfaces 58 on slides 39 even though the protectors 23 may bear the entire weight of tongs 10 and transmit that weight to coil 11.

With an open tongs 10 resting on top of a coil 11 to be lifted as shown in lFigure. 1, the raising of links 28 and 29 will cause beam 12 and bar 18 to move transversely in opposed relation as hereinabove described until the coil is gripped, as shown, for example, in Figure 3. Such a transverse movement of beam 12 relative to the coil edges in sides 19 and 22 is accomplished without damage to the coil turn edgesv because as such transverse movement of beam 12 occurs, each bed 35 will slide to the left with the movement of beam 12 while the respective slides 39 will stay in place without material movement relative to those coil turnl edges while being held against such edges by virtue of weight supported by such slides 39 in the course of such an operation.

As bean12 n'fovs to theleft asl shown'inthe sequence of Figures 1,.'2 and; 3,-it` carries' with it the' beds 35 and eachv block 46 begins to move to the 1left without correspldig iir'tjvefe't f tl rfleSSZ n the Slides 3 9. That rel'ativepapprascn' er a' black 4t; ro its respective retainer member 52'r'e'di1`ce's the dis'tac 'between the tw'o and compresses the springs 64 correspondingly until tongs is closed with the material protectors 23 in the position shown in Figure 3 insofar as the illustrated embodiment is concerned. Spring vrod 54 may move axially somewhat as spring 64 is compressed as the outermost ends of the rod 54 no longer are against both block 46 and retainer 52 respectively. Thus, it appears that the friction between surface 58 andthe coil turn edges is so great when any part of tongs 10 is resting on the coil that a transverse movement of beam 12 relative to coil 11 will slide bearing surface 44 axially along the top of liners 55 and at the same time compress spring 64 without disturbing that static condition between slide 39 and coil 11.

After gripping and raising coil 11, the setting down thereof would cause tongs 10 to open and move beam 12 to the right. Thereby, the beds 35 will correspondingly move to the right and should tongs 10 be lifted away from coil 11 before the full open stroke of jaws 14 and 16 is reached, spring 64 would snap the respective slides 39 back to the normal biased position shown in Figures l and 6 to ready the protectors 23 for a new operation of tongs 10 with the new protectors 23 thereon.

A, modification of my new protector is illustrated in Figure ll where parts generally corresponding in structure and in function to the embodiment shown in the preceding igures are provided with the same reference numerals with the addition of Va prime factor thereto. The sectioning of the modication shown in Figure 11 is similar to the sectioning shown in Figures 6 and l0 except that the slide 39 in Figure 1l is in an intermediate position. In the modification of Figure ll, a second block 46a is rigidly positioned in inverted recess 45'. A drilled hole 47a extends through block 46a for the passage therethrough of spring rod 54. The spacing apart of blocks 46' and 46a is such that when spring rod 54 is in assembled position, there is no movement thereof in operation relative to bed 35 such as may occur in the earlier described embodiment of my new protector when there is any shortening of the full distance between retainer 52 and block 46.l

Although the new protectors in the embodiments shown have four assemblies which are substantially alike, it is evident that but a single such assembly may-be utilized as a material protector without departing from this invention. Further, although the new protector illustrated is provided with a slide which is intended to move in one direction for the particular application illustrated in the drawings, it is obvious that such protectors may be constructed of opposite hand so that the compression of the spring takes place when the slide moves in an opposite direction for manipulating devices requiring such an opposite movement. Moreover, the illustrated embodiment and modification compress the spring upon movement in one direction. Hence, a further modification may be con structed in which the retainer, corresponding to member 52 and S2 may, for example, be located near the middle of a slide so that in an at rest position such member isl `at an intermediate position along a spring rod such as spring rod 54 or 54. Thereby, such a further modified structure might have a spring mounted on the spring rod to each side of the retainer member between such retainer member and blocks near the respective ends of the bed so the slide would be operative in a two-way direction to compress one spring or the other regardless of which direction it might be moved relative to its bed,

Still further, although as shown, the new protector is utilized in conjunction with a vertical coil tongs, it is evident that other objects and other fields of use with other handling devices and ni'iiplilators'jy whether" vertii or not; are alsogwithiirthbordsiof"thisinventinl 'Iles'e and othenclianges'iniy ble'`ntafde"without departing either` from the spiritiofV rriyiriv'etion vor'the "sc'opeV ofthe appendediclairns.' i ,f u ,y

l. In a protector to be used with a manipulating device having portions with opposed jaws to be moved to open and close relative to an object in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said protector, in combination, a longitudinally extending bed, said bed having a longitudinally extending bearing surface, a block on the lower portion of said bed, a longitudinally extending slide having a surface slidably engaging said bearing surface, a retainer affixed to the upper portion of said slide to move longitudinally relative to said block, a longitudinally extending spring positioned between said retainer and said block, and guiding means for said spring during relative movement between said retainer and said block, whereby when said device presses said protector against an object to be manipulated, movement of said block by said device in a direction opposing the force of said spring will move said bed relative to said slide without corresponding movement of said slide relative to said object.

2. In a protector to be used with a coil tongs having opposed jaws to be reciprocated relative to one -another to open and close relative to an object in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said protector, in combination, a longitudinally extending inverted T-shaped bed, said bed having a longitudinally extending bearing surface, a longitudinally extending recess along the lower portion of said bed, a block lixed to said bed in said recess, a longitudinally extending slide having a surface slidably engaging said bearing surface, said slide being generally C-shaped in cross section with its ends extending around the head of said T, a retainer aflixed to the upper portion of said slide to move longitudinally relative to said block in said recess, a longitudinally extending spring. positioned between said retainer and said block, and a longitudinally extending rod engaging said spring to guide it during relative movement between said retainer and said block, whereby when said tongs press said protector against an object to be manipulated, movement of said block by said tongs in a direction opposing the force of said spring will move said bed relative to said slide without corresponding movement of said slide relative to said object.

3. In a protector for a material handling device having operable portions relatively movable in a longitudinal direction, in combination, a longitudinally extending base positioned on the underside of said device, a member engaging said base for relative movement in a longitudinal direction, means for maintaining said base and said member in engagement, a longitudinally extending bearing surface between said base and said member for bearing engagement during such relative movement therebetween, and positioning means to maintain said member normally in a position in readiness for such relative movement with said base between operations of said device, whereby when said device presses said protector against material to be handled, movement of said base by said device in a `direction opposing said positioning means will move said base relative to said member without corresponding movement of said member relative to said material.

4. In a device movable in a longitudinal direction to operably engage an object to hold it, a contact protector comprising, in combination, a longitudinally extending base member on said device on a lower side thereof, said base member having a lower side generally parallel to a side of said object, a longitudinally extending support member having its lower side parallel to said side of such an object and its upper side movablyengaging said base member in a longitudinally extending direction, and means to maintain said support member in movable said support memberwithout corresponding movement 5y 2,088,519

of said support member relative to said object.

`8 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,251 vEgg@ Apr. 13,1954

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