US3128960A

US3128960A - jones

Info

Publication number: US3128960A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-14

Description

W- O. JONES April 14, 1964 MEANS AND METHOD FOR FORMING COILS OF STRIP-LIKE MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1959 INVENTOR.

Walter 0. Jones April 14, 1964 w. o. JONES 3,128,960

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FORMING COIL-S OF STRIP-LIKE MATERIAL Filed April 20, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

pwwzey April 14, 1964 w. o. JONES 3,128,960

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FORMING COILS 0F STRIP-LIKE MATERIAL Filed April 20, 1959 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.4.

INVENTOR.

Walter 0. Jones United States Patent 3,128,960 MEANS AND METHQD FUR FORMING COIL 0F ST-LIKE MATERIAL Walter 0. Jones, Warren, Ohio, assignor to The Wean Engineering Company, Inc., Warren, Ohio, 21 corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 807,672 13 Claims. (Cl. 242-785) This invention relates to belt wrappers in which belt means are employed to direct strip-like material about a winding member for winding coils thereon.

The formation of coils by the use of belt wrappers is well known in the handling of steel strip, for example. The conventional practice in handling extended lengths of such strip has been to wrap or coil a single length of strip material to form a single coil. A belt wrapper is placed in position to guide the leading end of the strip around the circumference of a winding man drel a suflicient distance for the strip to be repetitively coiled upon the mandrel by further rotation. The operator frequently guides the strip manually until the first wrap is made. After a few wraps, the frictional force developed by the winding motion of the mandrel and the back tension of the strip is sufiiciently large to cinch the strip, and the belt wrapper is immediately disengaged and moved to inoperative position. The coil is then wound until the entire length of strip has been piaced thereon. In some instances, multiple lengths of mill length strip are welded together end to end for coiling, and in other cases, the strip may be cut when a coil has been wound to the largest manageable size. The emphasis throughout the art has been in handling coils and strips of the longest possible length and of building up shorter lengths of strip into a longer continuous length by welding end to end.

Such a practice has been followed in mill handling of the strip and in delivery to the customer. In some instances, however, the coiled strip is subjected to further operation at the mill in which it is cut to sized lengths. Such practice has commonly been followed, for example, with strip which has been electrolytically plated with tin, as well as with hot dipped tin sheets and other sheet products. Electrolytic tin plate is plated in continuous lengths, and the plated strip is conventionally cut to sheet lengths at the mill for shipment to can manufacturers in sheet form. The continuous plated strip has conventionally been inspected for defects and cut into sheet lengths. The sheets are then passed through a sheet classifier in which sheets cut from defective lengths of strip are set aside for salvage or the like. A single defect in a sheet requires rejection of the sheet, and there has been an attendant wastage of prime material by reason of its inclusion in a sheet having one or more defects.

It has recently been proposed to manufacture cans from electrolytically plated strip material rather than from sheet material, thereby avoiding the intermediate handling. The plated strip, however, includes defects, and sections having such defects must be excluded from can making machines. Can manufacturers have not heretofore possessed the equipment to inspect the strip for defects and are not desirous of acquiring such equipment. They, therefore, wish to have strip supplied to them which is entirely free of defects. If the strip is cut at the mill to remove defective portions but is not otherwise cut into sheet lengths, random lengths of plated strip material are produced.

Such strips are most conveniently handled in coil form but the problems of forming a coil of discontinuous random lengths have made it difficult to supply strip in this 3,128,960 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 form without excessive labor costs and handling difficulties.

I have devised new and useful ways of overcoming such dificulties and of supplying random length striplike material in readily manageable form. I provide belt Wrapper apparatus comprising a support member, a pair of primary belt guiding frames supported therefrom, belt means trained about the belt guiding frames, and means to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward and away from a coiling mandrel. I preferably provide a pair of secondary belt guiding frames, and means urging one of said belt guiding frames away from the mandrel, whereby the belt is maintained in tension. I further preferaby provide a pair of such support members on opposite sides of the mandrel and means to shift said support members toward and away from the mandrel. 1 preferably provide a first primary belt guiding frame pivotally supported from the support member for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a first secondary belt guiding frame associated therewith and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, means connecting said belt guiding frames for movement of one toward and away from the mandrel oppositely to such movement of the other. I further preferably provide a second primary belt guiding frame, link means supporting the second primary belt guiding frame from the support for substantially radial movement of the extremity thereof relative to the mandrel, a second secondary belt guiding frame, and means urging the second secondary belt guiding frame upwardly, whereby a belt trained about all of said belt guiding frames is maintained in tension.

Other details, objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the belt wrapper in operating position showing a full coil wound on the mandrel;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of part of the belt wrapper of FIGURE 1 in retracted position and having a portion of the frame removed;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line IVIV of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIG- URES 1 and 3, base members 10 are disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel 11 on which strip material I is adapted to be wound. Mandrel 11 may comprise a collapsible cylindrical member supported from an offset base and driven by an electric motor. The mandrel may be expandible for winding and may then be contracted to smaller diameter for removal of a coil therefrom. Support members or frames 12 are slidably placed on base members It They are formed of parallel side plates 13 and I4- vertically disposed and connected to each other by spaced

crossbars

15, 16 and 17, the bars and plates being Welded together to form a rigid structure. Plates 13 are rigidly engaged to the base of each frame I2, and guide bars 19 in rigid engagement therewith extend downwardly. Guide bars 19 interlock with and slidably engage slide plates 29 which are fixed to the upper portion of each base member It). The interlocking engagement of guides 19 and plates 20 prevents frames 12 from movement on the associated base member except slidably along the length of the base member. Bearing plates 21 are attached to the lower side of plates 18 for sliding movement on plates 20. Bottom plate 22 is welded between plates 18 and adds rigidity to frame 12. A bracket 23 is welded to the underside thereof. A piston rod 24 terminates in a clevis 26 which is fastened to bracket 23 by a pin 25. The other end of piston rod 24 is fastened to a double acting piston in a cylinder 27 which is anchored to base support 10. Compressed air or hydraulic fluid is selectively supplied to either end through necessary valves and connecting piping which have been omitted from the drawings for clarity of illustration.

An upper primary belt guiding frame is supported from each frame 12. It comprises a pair of extending major arms 28, a crossbar 29 to which arms 23 are Welded, and a crossbar 30. Crossbar 29 is rotatably journaled in

side plates

13 and 14 of frame 12. Crossbar 3% extends between the extremities of arms 28 and has a tapered selfcentering belt pulley 31 rotatably mounted thereon. Two bars 32 are welded to crossbar 29 side by side and form an extension of the belt guiding frame. A spur gear 33 is fixed on bar 29. An upper secondary belt guiding frame is formed of extending minor arms 34, crossbar 35 rotatably journaled in

side plates

13 and 14, and a crossbar 36 extending between the extremities of minor arms 34. A belt pulley 37 of the same type heretofore described is rotatably mounted on crossbar 36. A gear 38 is fixed on crossbar 35 and meshes with gear 33.

A lower primary belt guiding frame is formed from major arms 39, a crossbar 4t and a crossbar 41, extending between the extremities of major arms 39. A belt pulley 42 of the same type is rotatably mounted on crossbar 41. A bar 43 is welded to crossbar 43 as a unitary part of the lower primary belt guiding frame. Crossbar 4b is journaled for rotation in two vertically positioned

links

44 and 45 which are welded to a crossbar 46 journaled for rotation in

side plates

13 and 14.

Links

44 and 45 are thus free to rotate pivotally together as a unit about the axis of cross-bar 46. A link 47 is pivotally connected to the end of bar 43 at pivot point 48. The other end of link 47 is pivotally connected at pivot point 49 to a fitting 50 which is bolted to side wall 14. A bracket 51 is welded to crossbar 4t) and thereby becomes a part of the unitary structure forming the lower primary belt guiding frame. A crossbar 52 is rotatably mounted in the ends of links 44 and 45' which are opposite from crossbar 46. Lower minor arms 53 are welded thereto and have a crossbar 54 extending therebetween, thereby forming a lower secondary belt guiding frame. A self-centerin g belt pulley 55 is rotatably mounted on crossbar 54. A bracket 56 is welded to and projects from crossbar 52, thereby becoming a unitary part of the lower secondary belt guiding frame. A rod 57 is pivotally connected thereto by pin 58. The upper end of rod 57 extends through a coil spring 59 and terminates in lock nuts 60 and washer 61. The spring is compressed between washer 61 and a seat 62 resting in a saddle 63 which is welded to and projects from crossbar 40.

A double-acting fluid power cylinder 64 is placed intermediate extension bars 32 and bracket 51, and the fluid supply connections have been omitted from the drawings for clarity of illustration. The cylinder is pivotally connected to bracket 51 by a pin 65. The end of the associated piston rod 66 is attached to extension bars 32 by a pin 67.

A single belt 63 is trained about the belt pulleys 31, 37, 55 and 42 supported from each frame 12. I use the term single belt as broadly descriptive of belt means extending continuously about the pulleys and not as a term of limitation. A single belt, as I use the term, denotes unitary belt means trained about the belt pulleys without a break and is inclusive of a plurality of parallel belts placed side by side and trained about those pulleys.

Coil handling conveyor 69 is placed beneath mandrel 11 and serves to remove full-sized coils from mandrel 11 and convey them to other parts of the mill for further handling. Such means are well known and need not be further described here.

A conventional strip guide 76 is placed above mandrel 11 and is arranged to rest upon the extremity of one of the upper primary belt guiding frames. Strip is fed along the top of the guide from the mill and is thereby directed into the gap between the opposed upper belt guiding frames.

In operation, the two frames 12 are advanced toward empty mandrel 11 by operation of hydraulic cylinders 27. Fluid pressure is applied to cylinder 64 thereby extending piston rod 66 and urging the primary belt guiding frames together as shown in FIGURE 2. When frames 12 are advanced toward mandrel 11 the extremities of the lower primary belt guiding frames will nearly touch with the two belt pulleys 42 being closely adjacent. The upper belt guiding frames will be spaced slightly apart, allowing a gap for entrance of strip material. Belts extending between belt pulleys 42 and 31 will surround substantially the entire mandrel and coil formed thereon. When the mandrel is empty, the primary belt guiding frames will assume the position shown fragmentarily in chain line in FIGURE 1. The belt extending between

pulleys

31 and 42 on each side will be deflected pulling each of the lower secondary belt guiding frames toward the mandrel and compressing springs 59.

Mandrel 11 is rotated, causing both belts 63 to be moved around their respective belt guiding pulleys due to frictional force between mandrel 11 and the belts. A length of strip 1 is then fed along guide 70 and introduced intermediate the extremities of the upper belt guiding frames forming a coil 2 on mandrel 11. As the end of strip is fed into the gap between the upper primary strip guiding frames, the belts will confine it around substantially the entire circumference of the mandrel and cause it to be carried around the circumference of mandrel 11 as the mandrel rotates. As the leading end of the strip completes virtually an entire revolution, it will be directed further around the circumference of the mandrel by the confining forces of the belt and will be cinched beneath the second layer of strip being wound upon the mandrel. During successive revolutions of mandrel 11, the strip will be held in place by the confining force of the belts until, after several wraps, there is sufficient frictional force developed by the back tension of the strip to hold the strip firmly in place on the mandrel. The belt wrapper, however, is left in applied position while the strip is wound. As the coil grows, it will force the primary belt guiding frames away from the mandrel, compressing piston rod 66 into cylinder 64 against the fluid pressure.

The lower primary belt guiding frames will tend to pivot about crossbars 40 and their extremities will describe an are about the axis of crossbar 40. If crossbars 40 were in fixed position, belt pulleys 42 would be close together when a coil of intermediate diameter was formed, and there would be an appreciable gap at other times. The end of each lower primary belt guiding frame away from the mandrel will, however, necessarily pivot about pivot point 49 by virtue of link 47. This moves crossbar 40 slightly away from the coiling axis when a coil has grown to intermediate diameter and then moves crossbar 4%) back toward the coiling axis as the coil further enlarges. Crossbar 40 and pivot point 49 are at substantially the same elevation, and the result is that the extremity of each lower primary belt guiding frame moves in a substantially straight line radial motion with respect to the coiling axis. There is, accordingly, a gap of minimum size between the extremities of the lower primary belt guiding frames at all degrees of expansion of the coil.

The belt wrapper is maintained in applied position while the coil is being wound. As one length of strip ends, it will be wound upon the coil, and the entire coil is held snubbed against uncoiling. The next succeeding length of strip is then fed along guide 70 into the gap between the belts at the upper point and ceiling is resumed as before. As the coil expands, the primary belt guiding frames are forced away from the mandrel by the growing coil on the mandrel. The circumference and amount of belt required to confine the coil likewise increases. The upper secondary belt guiding frames are caused to move toward the mandrel as the upper primary belt guiding frames move away from the mandrel, thus reducing the amount of belt required to pass around the pulleys on the upper secondary belt guiding frames and supplying the necessary belt to go around the circumference of the growing coil. Springs 59 supply a belt tensioning force at all times.

After a coil of full size has been formed as described, it is banded in the usual fashion to prevent it from expanding and cylinders 27 are operated to move frames 12 away from the mandrel 11. The pressure in cylinder 64 may be reversed to hold the primary belt guiding frames in open position until the belt wrapper has been withdrawn completely from the area of the coil. The mandrel is collapsed to a smaller diameter, coil conveyor 69 is raised to support the coil, and the coil is then removed axially from the mandrel. The mandrel is then re-expanded and frames 12 are moved toward mandrel lll. Fluid under pressure is supplied to cylinder 64 to urge the primary belt guiding frames together, and the process is repeated as before. In this manner, a number of successive lengths of strip may be readily and expeditiously coiled without the necessity of welding them end to end. The process is performed quickly and with a minimum of difiiculty in handling the successive lengths of strip.

While I have illustrated and described a present preferred embodiment of my invention and have shown a present preferred method of practicing the same, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A belt wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a coiling axis, each support member having a pair of primary belt guiding frames movably mounted in the support member, a pair of secondary belt guiding frames movably mounted in each support member, a single belt trained about all the belt guiding frames on each support member, belt tension means, and means urging the primary belt guiding frames together and abutting a coil being formed about the coiling axis.

2. A belt wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel forming a coiling axis for srip-like material, each support member having a pair of primary belt guiding frames supported thereby and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a pair of secondary belt guiding frames mounted in cooperative relationship with said primary belt guiding frames, belt guiding pulleys on said frames, a single belt trained about the pulleys on all of said frames, means operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward the mandrel, and means urging the secondary belt guiding frames away from the mandrel, whereby the belt is maintained in tension.

3. A belt Wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel forming a coiling axis, each support member having a pair of primary belt guiding frames supported thereby with one of the frames above the coiling axis and the other frame below the coiling axis and arranged for movement of the frames toward and away from the mandrel, a pair of secondary belt guiding frames movably mounted on each said support member, belt guiding pulleys on said frames, a single belt trained about the pulleys on said frames, means operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward the mandrel, means interconnecting one of the primary belt guiding frames and one of the secondary belt guiding frames for movement of the secondary belt guiding frame oppositely to movement of the associated primary frame with respect to the mandrel, and means urging the other secondary belt guiding frame away from the mandrel, thereby maintaining the belt in tension.

4. A belt wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel forming a coiling axis, each support member having a first primary belt guiding frame pivotally mounted therein for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a second primary belt guiding frame supported from the support member for movement toward and away from the mandrel on the opposite side of the coiling axis from the first primary belt guiding frame, a first secondary belt gliding frame pivotally mounted in the support member adjacent the first primary belt guiding frame, means connecting the first primary belt guiding frame and the first secondary belt guiding frame for movement of the first secondary belt guiding frame relative to the mandrel oppositely to such movement of the first primary belt guiding frame, a second secondary belt guiding frame supported from the support member on the opposite side of the coiling axis from the first secondary belt guiding frame, pulleys on said frames, a single belt trained about the pulleys on said frames, means urging the secondary belt guiding frame outwardly to maintain the belt in tension, and means selectively operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward and away from the coiling axls.

5. A belt wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel forming a coiling axis for strip-like material, each support member having a pair of primary belt guiding frames supported thereby and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a pair of secondary belt guiding frames, belt guiding pulleys on said frames, a single belt trained about the pulleys on all of said frames, means operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward the mandrel, means urging the secondary belt guiding frames away from the mandrel, whereby the belt is maintained in tension, and power means connected to the support members for movement of the support members toward and away from the coiling axis.

6. A belt wrapper comprising a pair of opposed support members disposed on opposite sides of a mandrel forming a coiling axis, each support member having a pair of primary belt guiding frames supported thereby with one of the frames above the coiling axis and the other frame below the coiling axis and arranged for movement of the frames toward and away from the mandrel, a pair of secondary belt guiding frames, belt guiding pulleys on said frames, a single belt trained about the pulleys on said frames, fluid power means selectively operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames toward the mandrel and away from the mandrel, means interconnecting one of the primary belt guiding frames and one of the secondary belt guiding frames for movement of the secondary belt guiding frame oppositely to movement of the associated primary frame with respect to the mandrel, means urging the other secondary belt guiding frame away from the mandrel, thereby maintaining the belt in tension, and position shifting means connected to the support members for movement of the support members toward and away from the coiling axis.

7. Belt wrapper apparatus comprising a support member arranged for placement adjacent a mandrel forming a coiling axis for strip-like material, a first primary belt guiding frame supported from the support member for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a second primary belt guiding frame supported from the support member by link means for movement toward and away from the mandrel on the opposite side of the coiling axis from the first primary belt guiding frame, a first secondary belt gliding frame supported from the support member and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel oppositely to the first primary belt guiding frame, a second secondary belt guiding frame supported from the support member and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a single belt trained about all of the belt guiding frames, means urging the second secondary belt guiding frame outwardly, whereby the belt is maintained in tension, and means selectively operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames concurrently toward and away from the mandrel.

8. Belt wrapper apparatus comprising a support member arranged for placement adjacent a mandrel forming a coiling axis for strip-like material, a first primary belt guiding frame pivotally supported from the support member for pivotal movement toward and away from the mandrel, a second primary belt guiding frame supported from the support member for movement toward and away from the mandrel on the opposite side of the coiling axis from the first primary belt guiding frame, a first secondary belt guiding frame supported from the support member and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel oppositely to the first primary belt guiding frame, a second secondary belt guiding frame supported from the support member and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, belt pulley means at the extremities of the belt guiding frames, a single belt trained around the belt pulley means, means urging the second secondary belt guiding frame outwardly, whereby the belt is maintained in tension, and fluid pressure means selectively operable to urge the primary belt guiding frames concurrently toward or away from the mandrel.

9. Belt wrapper apparatus comprising a support member arranged for placement adjacent a mandrel forming a coiling axis for strip-like material, a first primary belt guiding frame pivotally supported from the support member for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a second primary belt guiding frame, first link means, pivotally connected to one end of the second primary belt guiding frame and to the support member, second link means pivotally connected to a midpoint of the second primary belt guiding frame and to the support member, the other end of the second primary belt guiding frame being thereby arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel on the opposite side of the coiling axis from the first primary belt guiding frame, a first secondary belt guiding frame associated with one of the primary belt guiding frames and connected thereto for movement toward and away from the mandrel oppositely to such movement of the associated primary belt guiding frame, a second secondary belt guiding frame supported from the support member and arranged for movement toward and away from the mandrel, a single belt trained about all said belt guiding frames, belt tension means and fluid pressure means concurrently urging both the primary belt guiding frames selectively toward and away from the mandrel.

10. Belt wrapper apparatus comprising a support member arranged for placement adjacent a mandrel forming a coiling axis for strip-like material, a first primary belt guiding frame pivotally supported from the support member for pivotal movement toward and away from the upper surface of the mandrel, a second primary belt guiding frame, first link means pivotally connected to one end of the second primary belt guiding frame and to the support member, second link means pivotally connected to a midpoint of the second primary belt guiding frame and to the support member, the second primary belt guiding frame being thereby supported for substantially linear movement of its extremity toward and away from the lower surface of said mandrel, a first secondary belt guiding frame pivotally mounted in the support member adjacent the first primary belt guiding frame for movement toward and away from the mandrel, means connecting the first primary belt guiding frame and the first secondary belt guiding frame for movement of one of said frames toward and away from the mandrel oppositely to such movement of the other said frame, a second secondary belt guiding frame pivotally mounted on the second link means, belt pulley means mounted in the projecting extremities of all said belt guiding frames, a single belt trained about all said pulley means, and means urging second secondary belt guiding frame downwardly away from the mandrel, thereby maintaining the belt in tension.

11. The method of forming discrete pieces of strip-like material of random length into a coil formed on a mandrel which comprises surrounding the empty mandrel with flexible confining means which engage the face of the mandrel around substantially its entire circumference, feeding the lengths of strip-like material successively through a gap in the confining means, rotating the mandrel to build up a coil, and maintaining the confining means against an increasingly longer outer surface of the coil around substantially its entire circumference until a complete coil is formed whose diameter is at least several times the diameter of the mandrel.

12 The method of winding discontinuous lengths of strip-like material of random length to form a unitary tightly wound coil which comprises placing flexible strip confining means which engage the face of the mandrel in contact with the mandrel around substantially its entire circumference, rotating the mandrel, feeding the lengths of strip-like material successively through a gap in the confining means, thereby winding the lengths upon the mandrel and forming a coil between the mandrel and the confining means, and maintaining the confining means in contact with the outer surface of the coil around substantially its entire circumference until a full coil is formed whose diameter is at least several times the diameter of the mandrel.

13. Belt wrapping apparatus for coiling sheet material on a mandrel which rotates about a fixed axis during the coiling operation, said apparatus comprising a base; two housings mounted on said base at positions angularly spaced around said mandrel for movement toward said mandrel to coiling positions and away from said mandrel to noncoiling positions; a separate endless belt carried by each of said housings; a pair of rotatable belt supporting rollers carried by each of said housings; movable means supporting such rollers from each housing for rotation about axes substantially parallel to the mandrel axis so that said rollers are located at positions angularly spaced around said mandrel when the housing is in its coiling position; resilient means for urging said rollers toward said mandrel and toward each other during coiling of sheet material on said mandrel to cause said belt to contact the coil on the mandrel throughout the coiling operation by a belt length which increases during said coiling opera tion; said resilient means permitting said rollers to be moved apart as the size of the coil increases; and means independent of movement of said housings for compensating for changes in the belt length in contact with said coil and for maintaining substantial tension in the belts during the coiling operation as the size of the coil increases.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 789,707 Bellamy May 16, 1905 2,928,622 Herr Mar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 930,681 Germany July 21, 1955 546,126 Great Britain June 29, 1942 759,332 Great Britain Oct. 17, 1956