US2969202A

US2969202A - Reel segment guiding arrangement

Info

Publication number: US2969202A
Application number: US711736A
Authority: US
Inventors: Judson W Martt
Original assignee: National Steel Corp
Current assignee: National Steel Corp
Priority date: 1958-01-28
Filing date: 1958-01-28
Publication date: 1961-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1978-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1961 J. w. MARTT REEL SEGMENT GUIDING ARRANGEMENT" Filed Jan. 2a, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm an mv um .3 mm Wm \a\ 2% mm E wv uh m u 8 mw Q .H. i111? M. m 7 n H a w N 9 Q N 8 on Q M. N N L W Q\ PS a N II HII INVENTOR JUDSON W MARTT ATTORNEY Jan; 24, 1961- J. w. MARTT 2,969,202

' REEL; SEWENIYGUIDING ARRANGEMENT Fild Jan. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JUDSON W MARTT BY W W ATTORNEY Unite States PatentO 2,969,202 REEL SEGMENT GUIDIN G ARRANGEMENT Judson W. Martt, Weirton, W. Va., assi nor to National The present invention relates to reels for reeling and unreeling strip onto and from a coil, and more particularly to such reels of the segmented expansible drum type having improved reel segment guiding arrangements.

In the past, coil reels have been developed for use with heavy coils of metal strip, comprising generally cylindrical drums onto which a coil may be slid from one end for reeling or unreeling. The drums are supported at one end for rotation about a horizontal axis 'and the free end of the drums extends outward in cantilever relationship.

The surface of these drums is defined by a plurality of parallel reel segments each extending lengthwise along the drum and each having an outer surface which is a portion of a cylinder. Provision is made for expanding the drum by moving the segments outward radially of the drum in unison and for partially collapsing the drum by moving the segments inward radially of the drum in unison. The coil is placed on and removed from the drum when the drum is partially collapsed and is held firmly on the drum against relative rotation for reeling or unreeling when the drum is expanded. A typical such device is disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,755,031, Robert G. Russell, July 16, 1956.

The coils of strip metal handled by reels of this type are often large and heavy. They may, for example, have an axial extent of four feet and a diameter of seven feet and weigh perhaps thirty tons. Naturally, the reels are power driven and quite massive. For example, the cylindrical portion of the drum will be longer than the axial extent of the coil and may have a diameter of 16" or so.

Despite the rugged construction of the reels, it is inevitable that they bend a certain amount when massive work loads are carried by the cantilevered portion. If the drums were of one-piece construction, such bending would be unobjectionable within the limits encountered in practice. But as was pointed out above, the drums are in fact comprised of a plurality of relatively movable parts and these tend to fracture and come loose from each other and from the remainder of the reel structure upon bending. This difficulty cannot be overcome by making the drums of larger diameter and hence more rigid, since the inside diameter of the coils of metal strip limits the outsidediameter of the drums.

Although many attempts have been made to overcome the foregoing and other difficulties and disadvantages, none, as far as is known, was entirely successful when practiced commercially on an industrial scale.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device of the type described adapted to bear loads considerably greater than had heretofore been possible.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the type described in which the relatively movable parts will not fracture or come loose from each other even under heavy loads.

The present invention also contemplates in devices of the type described structure which will accommodate com ice tinuously shifting loads without damage to the structure of'the device.

A further object of the present invention is the provision, in devices of the type described, of structure which though no heavier nor more rigid than that known heretofore will nevertheless have greatly increased resistance to damage from bending.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide coiling and uncoiling reels of the type described having improved reel segment guiding arrangements, which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, maintain and repair, and rugged and durable in use.

Briefly, the present invention achieves these objects and overcomes the ditficulties of the prior art by providing in an expansible rotatable drum of the type described a combination slidable and universal connection between an end of each drum segment and the remainder of the reel.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the drum end of reel structure according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the structure of Figure 1, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View of another portion of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown a reel according to the present invention indicated generally at 10. For purposes of illustration, reel 10 is an uncoiling reel and comprises a rotatable drum 12 made up of a plurality of radially movable reel segments 14 which extend lengthwise parallel to the axis of the drum. The outer surfaces of segments 14 together define a cylindrical outer contour of drum 12, the outer surface of each segment 14 being part of a cylinder.

Drum 12 is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis by a coaxial rotatable member 18. Member 18 includes an axially extending outer sleeve 20 by which the reel is mounted for rotation in bearings (not shown), so that the end of the reel to the left of Figures 1 and 2 is the supported end, the drum end being disposed in cantilever relationship. Member 18 also includes an outer annular ring 22 adjacent the supported end of the drum and secured to the outer or drum end of sleeve 20 by means of dowels 24.

Broadly, segments 14 are provided at their inner ends with ears 26 extending inwardly away from the drum for securement of the segments at the supported end of the drum and are recessed at their other ends as at 28 for the reception of inwardly extending ears 30 formed on an annular collar 32.

Segments 14 are provided on their inner surfaces with a plurality of arcuate inclined steps 34 which, in the assembly of segments 14, form a plurality of coaxial annular inclined steps. A plurality of complementary annular inclined steps 36 is formed on an inner shaft 38 which is reciprocable within the outer portions of the drum and the outer end of which has sliding fit within collar 32.

Power means (not shown) are provided for rotating the reel and means (not shown) are also provided for reciprocating shaft 38 relative to the rest of the reel in a known manner so as to expand or contract segments 14 by the interaction of inclined steps 34 and 36 in the usual way. As is also usual, segments 14 are provided with interdigitating projections 40 so as to maintain them parallel to each other in all expanded or c'ontracte positions.

Referring now more particularly to the connecting structure"in"the'region of recesses'28and cars 30 "on collar 32, as best seen in Figure 3, a spring assembly 42 is provided which comprises a cup 44 which is secured in the radially outer end of a hole 46 extending radially through each ear 30 but which terminates a substantial distance short of the radially inner end of hole 46'. At the bottom of each recess .28, a cup 48'is secured in-a cylindrical recess 50 coaxial with hole. 46. Cup 43"extends radially outward of the bottom of recess 28'and is slidably disposed in the radially inner end of hole 46 and terminates a small distance shortof the inner end of cup 44 when ear 30 contactsthe bottom of recess 28. Cups Hand 48 open toward each other and substantially enclose a coil compression spring 52 coaxial with the cups, which continuously urges the outer end of the associated segment 14 radially inward towardand, into yieldable contact with shaft 38. In all'positions of expansion or contraction of segments 14, a portion of cup,48 is disposed within hole-46, so that in addition to urging the segments inward spring assembly 42" positively interconnects segments 14 and collar 32.

The corresponding segment connections at the inner or supported end of the drum form a very important part of the present invention. As seen broadly in Figures 1 and 2, the drum end of sleeve 29 is provided with a plurality of recesses 54 which extend all the way through the sleeve and are covered on their outer sides by ring 22. It is at this end of the drum that the bending stresses imposed by the load of a coil tend to have their most harmful effect and tend to tear segments 14 loose from rotatable member 18. Accordingly, ears 26 andthe marginal edges of recesses 54 have clearance therebetween on all sides, and a special interconnecting means 56 is provided between each segment 14 and rotatable member 18.

As best seen in Figure 4, means 56 is comprised of an internally screw-threaded hole 58 extending radially entirely through ring 22, in which is detachably mounted an inwardly opening cup 60. Cup 6tlhas an externally screw-threaded base 62 by which it is removably secured in hole 58 and a radially inner portion comprising a cylindrical neck 64 of reduced outside diameter as compared with base 62.

Opening radially outward is a cylindrical recess 66 in each ear 26 of segments 14, and 'disposedhin recess 66 is an outwardly opening cup 68 secured in the bottom of the recess. A coil compression spring 70 is disposed within and acts between cups 60 and 68 continuously to urge the inner end of each segment 14 radially inwardly.

Disposed about and secured to reduced neck 64 is an annular bearing sleeve 72 which has the outer contour of a double-truncated sphere. Sleeve 72 is slidable and universally rotatable within the radially extending guideway provided by recess 66 and is in. contact with the side Walls of recess 66 even when its associated segment 14 is in its innermost collapsed position. Atthe opposite extreme, when segment 14 is in its outermost expanded position, cars 26 and ring 22 are in contact with each other but the radially inner ends of cup 60 andsleeve 72 are spaced a small distance from cup 68.

The centroid of sleeve-72 lies on theaxisof spring 70, and in their normal position-allof parts 60, 68; 70 and 72 and hole 58 and recess '66 are coaxial'.

It will be noted that the reel segments are anchored to the remainder of the reel structure only at their inner ends.

The operation of the novel device accordingto "the:

present invention is as follows? From the position shown in Figure 2,qshaft 38" is retracted a short distance to the left as seen in;Fig'ure '2, and thereupon springs 52 and 74) press tsegmentsql4'into partially collapsed relationship. A .coil of 'strip'metal is, then slid onto drum12 from the rightas seen:in'Figures 1 and 2. The movement of shaft 38 is then reversed so .175

4. that segments 14 are forced radially outward to grip and hold the coil securely on drum 12."

Assuming the coil to be of great weight, the drum and reel will deflect downward to the right as seen in Figure l or Figure 2, but this downward deflection will not impose undue strain on the members interconnecting the various relatively movable parts. At the free end of the drum there will be very little relative movement of segments 14 and collar 32, and at the supported end of.the drum, where there will be substantiallygreater relative movement of segments 14 and rotatable member 18, the interconnecting means 56 will accommodate this movement. Moreover, the .clearance of recess 54 will permit a substantial degree of relative movement between member 18 and segments 14 in any direction. Sleeve 72 will revolve in recess 66 to permit universal movement of ears 26 relative to member 18 and will also slide radially in recess 66 to accommodate this relative movement. Thus, sleeve 72 and the side walls of recess 66 togetherrprovide a ball and guideway universal connection between rotatable member 18 and end of each segmentl4 adjacent an end of drum 12.

At the end of the unreeling. operation, shaft 38 is again moved to the left as seen in Figure 2 to release any remaining portion of the coil for removal and to prepare for the next coil.

From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be obvious that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Al-tnough the present invention has been described in connec ion with referred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit in the invention as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. in an expansible rotatable drum for handling coiled strip material, including a plurality of segments having surfaces which together define a substantially cylindrical outercontour of the drum, the segments being disposed generally parallel to the axis of the drum, a member rotatable coaxially with the drum but fixed against movement axially of the drum, and means for selectively moving the segments relative to the rotatable member radially'away from the axis of the drum to engageand hold a coil of strip material on the drum from within the coil; the improvement comprising elements interconnecting the ro-tatablernember and an end of each segment adjacent anend of. the drum, the outer contour of each said ele-' mentbeing convex and coincident with a substantial portion of the surface of a sphere, one of the rotatable members and an end of each segment adjacent an end of the drum having recesses therein extending radially of 'the axis'of the drum, the sidewalls of each said recess enclosing the centroid of a said element and being of uniform cross-sectional configurationin a plurality ofspaced planes parallel to each other and to the axis of the drum,

and the other of the rotatable member and the end of eachsegment adjacent an endof the drumhaving said.

ing the'segments relative to the rotatable member radially; away from the axis of the drum to engage and-hold-a coil of strip :material. ontheidrum fromwithin the coil;' ihC' lIllPIQVfiIfifiIli comprising elements interconnecting the rotatable member and an end of each segment adjacent an end of the drum, the outer contour of each said element being convex and coincident with a substantial portion of the surface of a sphere, one of the rotatable members and an end of each segment adjacent an end of the drum having cylindrical recesses therein of which the axes are disposed radially of the axis of the drum, said elements being mounted on the other of the rotatable member and an end of each segment adjacent an end of the drum and being disposed one in each of the cylindrical recesses in bearing contact with the cylindrical sidewalls of the recesses for sliding movement axially of the recesses and for universal rotation within the recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 992,957 Gridley May 23, 1911 2,431,476 Hall Nov. 25, 1947 2,755,031 Russell July 17, 1956