US3035335A - Device for removing and replacing bearing-chock assemblies - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1962 H. N. FRY 3,035,335

DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING BEARING-CHOCK ASSEMBLIES Filed April 1, 1958 E'Sheets-Sheet 1 2 INVENTOR.

HOWARD'M FRY His ATTORNEY H. N. FRY

May 22, 1962 DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING BEARING-CHOCK ASSEMBLIES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1958 INVENTORL HOWARD N. FRY

Z ATTORNEY May 22., 1962 H. N. FRY

DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING BEARING-CHUCK ASSEMBLIES Filed April 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. HOW/1RD M FRY His ATTORNEY 3,035,335 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,335 DEVICE FOR REMOVING AND REPLAUNG BEARING-CHUCK ASSEMBLES Howard N. Fry, Avalon, Pa, assignor to United Engn nearing and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 725,567 2 Claims. (Cl. 29-434) This invention relates to a device for use in removing and replacing bearing-chock assemblies of shafts, rolls and the like and which is particularly adapted to be employed in the removal and replacement of heavy cumbersome bearing-chock assemblies such as those applied to the journals of rolling mill rolls.

In an efficient-high production rolling mill plant, there are arranged in succession a number of rolling mills for processing continuous strip material and in some cases the number may range from eight to as many as twelve stands. To maintain these stands in their optimum operational condition, the roll assemblies are frequently removed and replaced by other roll assemblies. In the case of the work rolls 'of 4-Hi cold mill stands, for example, it is not unusual to change the work rolls after but two or three hours of operation. While the necessity for regrinding the rolls is the most frequent reason for changing them, roll changing may also be required where the metallurgy of the product requires it and, of course, will be required where an increased width of material is to be rolled. When changing rolls, it is the universal practice to remove the rolls with their heavy and cumbersome bearings and chock assemblies mounted on the journals thereof, following which the bearing-chock assemhlies are then removed from the rolls.

The present practice for accomplishing this operation is to employ an overhead crane and several crewmen, the crane supporting the bearing-chock assembly as it is removed frorn the roll journal. In replacing the chock assembly on the roll, the assembly is supported by the crane as it is moved towards the roll and guided by the workmen onto the roll journal. It can readily be seen that this manner of removing and replacing the bearingchock assemblies is dangerous to the workmen and occupies a substantial amount of time, particularly that of the crane, the services of which may be urgently needed elsewhere in the plant. Moreover, in the event the bearings adhere tightly to the roll journal, the use of a crane to remove the assemblies is not only a dangerous operation, but it may be impossible to remove the assemblies unless other means to loosen them are employed.

The present invention provides a device for the removal and/or the replacement of bearing-chock assemblies which requires the services of but one operator and eliminates the necessity for employing a crane or other hoisting device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bearing-chock assembly removal and replacement device which will operate in conjunction with a roll storage rack upon which rolls are placed side-by-side either with or without the bearing-chock assemblies mounted on the journals thereof, the storage rack being located in an out-of-the-way place with respect to the mill so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the plant.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device in the form of a self-advancing car for removing and replacing the bearing-chock assemblies of a roll or shaft and which is adapted to be positioned adjacent to the ends of the rolls placed in a rack for servicing. After a bearing and chock assembly has been removed from one roll, inasmuch as the bearing-chock assembly itself usually does not require servicing, the car may be advanced to a position adjacent to a free roll so that the bearing-chock assembly may be readily placed on the journal thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bearing-chock assembly removal device consisting of a first car movable in a horizontal plane adjacent to and at right angles to the axes of a plurality of rolls arranged in a roll rack and a second car mounted on rails supported by the first, which car is movable by self-advancing means towards and in contact with the chock assembly of the particular roll with which the device is aligned so that when the second car is retracted, the chock assembly will thereby be removed from the roll journal.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a device for removing the chock assembly from the journal of a roll or shaft wherein pressure applying means is provided for exerting the necessary pressure on the chock to pull the chock from the journal in the event the bearing adheres tightly to the journal.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device for removing bearing-chock assemblies from the journals of a roll having a pair of arms adapted to be engaged with the inner end surfaces of the bearing-chock assembly and which, in conjunction with a pressure jack, will forceably remove a tightly adhering assembly from the roll journal.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a device for placing a chock and/ or bearing assembly on the journals of a roll or shaft in which there is a vertically adjustable yieldable platen for supporting the assembly as it is carried toward the roll and placed upon the journal thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, in

combination with a rack upon which a plurality of rolling mill rolls are arranged side-by-side, two cars, one for either end of the rolls, for use in the removal and replacement of the bearing-chock assemblies secured to the ends of the rolls.

These objects, as well as the various other novel features and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from a reading of the following description and accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pair of devices embodying the features of the invention herein disclosed shown in cooperative relationship with a set of racks upon which a plurality of rolling mill rolls may be positioned for servicing;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 with one of the bearing chock assemblies removed from the roll;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial view showing more clearly certain portions of the device illustrated in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a partial end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there are shown therein in combination a pair of bearing-chock assembly removal and replacement devices 11, supported upon a pair of tracks 12 extending along either side of a rack 13 upon which rolling mill rolls may be placed for servicing, particularly for the removal from and placement of bearing-chock assemblies on the journals of the rolls.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each bearing-chock removal and replacement device 11 comprises a carriage 14 consisting of a frame 15 having four wheels 16 mounted therebeneath and rotatably supported upon a pair of shafts 17 extending transversely of and secured to the frame 15. Projecting downwardly from the frame 15 there is a pin 15a which, for indexing purposes, may be dropped into one of a number of sockets 1512 provided in the foundation at spaced points along the roll-supporting servicing racks. Supported for transverse movement on the carriage 14, there is a secondary carriage 18 consisting of a box type frame having a side member 19 to which there are welded end members 21. Wheels 22 are supported upon a pair of shafts 23 extending through the frame. Spaced upward from the bottom of and secured to the box frame there is a base 24 upon which a pair of jack screws 25 are mounted and connected together in driving relationship by a universal shaft 26. From the top of each jack screw 25 and extending in a vertical direction there is a spindle 27 aflixed to but adapted to rotate relative to the platform 28 for raising and lowering the platform. Suitable guiding members 29 are provided for the platform 28.

Above the platform 28 and yieldably supported thereon by means of springs 32 there is a platen 33 having two spaced blocks 34 secured to the upper surface thereof between which a bearing-chock assembly is received on removal from a roll journal. The platen 33 is provided with sideboards 35 for rigidity. At spaced intervals there are stud bolts 36 secured to the platform 28 which extend upward and partially through suitable Openings 37 in the platen 33 for preventing the platen from being displaced horizontally relative to the platform 28 while permitting the platen 33 to be displaced vertically relative to the platform 28 for accomplishing a leveling action.

To the front of the secondary carriage 18 there are pivotally secured to each side thereof, by means of ball and socket joints 38, a pair of bearing-chock assembly engaging arms 39. Projections 41 are provided on the arms and at such a location as to engage a bearing-chock assembly substantially across the inner face centerline, i.e., the face most adjacent to the roll body from which the assembly is to be removed. The outer end of each arm 39 is so shaped as to provide a hook 42. Also supported on the secondary carriage 18 and welded thereto, there is a pedestal 43 having upright side members 44 and a plate 45 secured across the top thereof. Between the two side members 44, there is a frame 46, which is pivotally mounted on suitable brackets 46a. To the frame 46 there is secured a screw type jack 47. The jack is actuated by rotating the shaft 48 by means of a suitable lever or the like, thereby extending the screw 49 to engage the pad 51, attached at the end thereof, with the end of roll or shaft from which a bearing-assembly is to be removed. The frame 46 is locked in position, as shown in FIG. 3, by a pin 46b. In the event the bearing-chock assembly is not tightly aflixed to the roll or shaft, then the frame 46 is pivoted away from its operative position thereby to permit the operator to have an unobstructed view of the shaft end and bearing assembly for readily effecting the removal thereof without the use of the jack.

At the top of the pedestal 43 and secured by means of hinges 52 there is a pair of links 53 having attached at the outer ends thereof a member 54 in which a suitable opening 54a is provided for engaging the links with the hooks 42. Adjacent to the pedestal 43, there is a shaft 55 rotatably supported in bearings 56 which are secured to the secondary carriage 18. The shaft is provided with a hand wheel 57 at its outer end and with a bevel gear 58 at the other which meshes with a similar bevel gear 59 mounted on a shaft supported on the secondary carriage. To the shaft of gear 59 there is keyed a sprocket 61 over which a continuous chain 62 passes which extends downward and around a similar sprocket 63 rotatably secured to a suitable shaft aflixed to the lower portion of the carriage. Also on the shaft of sprocket 63 there is affixed a second sprocket in back of the sprocket 63 from which a continuous chain 64 extends to a sprocket 65 afiixed to the shaft of one of the jack screws 25. By turning the hand wheel 57, the jack screw spindles 27 are extended or retracted either for raising or lowering the platform 28 and platen 33- attached thereto.

At the outer end of the carriage 14 there is aifixed a base 66 on which a shaft 67 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings 68. To one end of the shaft 67 there is keyed a hand wheel 69 and to the othe end a sprocket 71. A continuous chain 72 passes over the sprocket 71 and engages with a sprocket 73 keyed to a shaft 74 rotatably secured to the carriage 14. A second sprocket 75 is also keyed to the shaft 74 and a continuous chain 76 is passed thereover and around a sprocket 77 keyed to the end of shaft 17 to which there are also secured a pair of the carriage wheels 16. By rotation of the hand wheel 69, the carriage 14 is moved along the tracks 12 to the desired position adjacent to the roll rack 13.

Although the secondary carriage 18 may be moved by hand into position adjacent to the rolls to be serviced, positive means for doing so is also provided which consists of a pawl 78 pivotally secured by means of a pin 79' to a lever 81 which, in turn, is secured to a shaft 82 supported in suitable bearings mounted on the secondary carriage. The pawl 78 engages with a rack 83 secured to the top of one of a pair of I-beam track portions 84 which are provided for the carriage wheels 22. As will be noted, the pawl 78 is provided with two oppositely disposed rack engaging teeth 85 and 86 and depending upon the direction the carriage is to be moved, either one may be engaged with the teeth on the rack simply by turning the pawl 180 about its pivot pin 79. The shaft 82 extends through the secondary carriage and at the opposite end thereof there is secured a member 87, similar to the lower portion of lever 81 to which a pawl 88, identical to pawl 78, is pivotally attached. The pawl 88 meshes with the teeth of a rack 89 supported on the top of the other I- beam track. As shown in FIG. 5, the pawl 78, as well as the pawl 88, are so disposed with respect to the racks 83 and 89 respectively that upward movement of the lever 81 will move the secondary carriage 18 to the-right.

Operation of the bearingchock removal and replacement device may be briefly summarized as follows:

In FIG. 2, there is shown a roll R, in position on the roll storage rack, from one end of which the bearing-chock assembly B has been removed, the second bearing-chock assembly B still remaining on the roll. Either manually or by rotation of the hand wheel 69, the main carriage 14 and the assembly supported thereon is moved to a position adjacent to the end of the roll R supported on the rack 13 and is indexed into its proper position as the pin 15a drops into the adjacent socket 1512 provided therefor. The secondary carriage 18 is then pushed toward the roll end to place the platen 33 in position beneath the bearingchock assembly and the platen 33 raised, by actuatingthe jack screws 27, to fully engage the platen 33 with the under surface of the assembly. If the bearing-chock assembly is tightly afiixed to the neck of the roll, then the arms 39 are raised to a position between the inner faceof the bearing-chock assembly and the end of the body of the roll R. In order that the projections 41 will make contact with the inner face of the bearing-chock assembly substantially at diametrically opposite points across the centerline, the arms 39 are provided with stops 90 which, depending upon the size of the bearing-chock assembly to be operated upon, are so placed along the length of the arms that they will engage the upper surface to the bearing-chock assembly at the same time the projections 41 are opposite one another on the centerline. Frame 46 is then rotated into position and locked in place by a locking pin 46b and the jack screw 47 actuated to press the pad 51 against the end of the roll and thereby exert a sufiicient force on the arms 39 to pull the assembly free of the journal.

If, however, the bearing-chock assembly B is not too firmly afiixed to the journal of the roll then, without the aid of the arms 39 and jack 47, workmen may remove the assembly merely by manually pulling away the secondary carriage 18 or by actuating the lever 81 thereby to remove the assembly.

If a bearing-chock assembly is to be replaced upon the journal of a roll, then the assembly is merely placed upon the platen 33, the height of the platen adjusted to align the axis of the assembly with the axis of the roll and then the secondary carriage 18 moved in a direction toward the roll. The frame 46 is, of course, in its out-of-the-way position so that the view of the operator will be completely unobstructed in aligning and placing the bearing-chock assembly on the shaft or roll neck.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A device for removing and replacing sleeve members on the journal of a shaft comprising a platform, said platform adapted to be moved axially of the shaft, a platen mounted on said platform and provided with a sleeve supporting surface, means for vertically adjusting said platen, a frame pivotally secured to said platform and adapted to be brought from an inoperative to an operative position, a jack engageable with the end of the shaft, said frame providing a support :for said jack whereby when said frame is in its operative position said jack will be co-axially aligned with respect to said shaft and when in said inoperative position said jack will be out of alignment with respect to said shaft, a pair of arms operatively connected to said jack which are adapted to be engaged with the sleeve so that on the application of an axial force by said jacks said sleeve will be caused to move relative to the shaft and deposited on said sleeve supporting surface of said platen.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 including yieldable means for supporting said platen and operatively arranged to permit a sleeve member supported thereon to be readily displaced both vertically and horizontally for axially aligning said sleeve with a shaft onto which it is to be placed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 748,390

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