US3349420A

US3349420A - Power-driven rotary brush for cleaning the rolls of a rolling mill

Info

Publication number: US3349420A
Application number: US529483A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cyril E Smith; Tracy John Andre
Original assignee: Loewy Engineering Co Ltd
Current assignee: Loewy Engineering Co Ltd
Priority date: 1965-02-22
Filing date: 1966-02-23
Publication date: 1967-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-31
Also published as: DE1527668A1; GB1089711A

Description

Oct. 31, 1967 c. E. SMITH ETAL 3,349,420 POWER-DRIVEN ROTARY BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE v ROLLS OF A ROLLING MILL Filed Feb. 25, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l I nventor YRIL EDWIN SMITH A itorne y JOHN AND E T W%Z7 Oct. 31, 1967 c E. SMITH ETAL. 3,349,420

POWER-DRIVEN f OTARY BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE ROLLS OF A ROLLING MILL Filed Feb. 23, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor QYRIL EDWIN SMITH JOHN ANDRE TRACY Attorney Oct.- 31, 1967 c. E. SMITH ETAL 3,349,420

POWER-DRIVEN ROTARY BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE ROLLS OF A ROLLING MILL Filed Feb. 23, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Invenlor CYRIL EDWIN SMITH JOHN ANDRE TRACY A Home y United States Patent 3,349,420 POWER-DRIVEN ROTARY BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE ROLLS OF A ROLLING MILL Cyril E. Smith, Ringwood, and John Andre Tracy, Bournemouth, England, assignors to The Loewy Engineering Company Limited, Bournemouth, England, a company of Great Britain Filed Feb. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 529,483 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 22, 1965, 7,640/ 65 4 Claims. (Cl. 1521) This invention relates to power-driven rotary brushes for cleaning the rolls of rolling mills.

In certain types of rolling mills, it is necessary for the surfaces of their working rolls to be kept clean during the rolling operation, so that the articles produced on these mills are free from surface blemishes. This require? ment exists, in particular, in the case of rolling mills which produce thin metal strip, such as foil.

It has been proposed to provide for this purpose powerdriven rotary brushes which were a permanent attachment to the mill and could thus be made to contact the working rolls of the mill during a rolling operation. These brushes consisted essentially of a rotary drum which was mounted at its ends on stationary journals supported in a frame which was adapted to be moved towards and away from a working roll. The outside of the drum was covered with bristles of steel wire which, by the to and fro movements of the drum, were moved into and out of engagement with the surface of an associated working roll.

The rotary power-drive for the drum was built into the latter and consisted of an electric squirrel-cage motor. The space for accommodating this motor was determined by the internal diameter of the drum, which, for practical reasons, had to be kept within certain limits. A limited number of poles could therefore only be provided on the motor, and its speed was therefore correspondingly high. It was thus necessary to arrange a reduction gear inside the drum and between motor and drum. Furthermore, the motor had to be protected against water, scale and dirt due to its location in the immediate proximity of the mill. Thus, the motor had to be of the fully-enclosed type, and the size was thereby increased. The result of these contradictory requirements was a motor of relatively small diameter and great length. Such a motor had to be specially designed and built and was therefore expensive.

The known brushes were further adapted to make rapid short-stroke oscillations in the axial direction of the drum, in order to intensify the brushing effect. To this end, there was built into the drum a special drive which translated the rotary movement of the motor into an oscillating one.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved power-driven rotary brush for cleaning the rolls of rolling mills.

In the brush according to the invention, the rotary power-drive consists of a built-in hydraulic motor of the im eller type.

Such a motor is particularly suitable for this application, since it requires much less space than an electric motor, so that it is possible to accommodate, within a given diameter of a drum, a hydraulic motor of normal design for the power in question. Furthermore, the motor is self-cooling, and no extra cooling means need be provided. The hydraulic motor may be regulated from the outside over a very wide range of speeds, so that a reduction gear mounted within the drum, which was necessary in the case of an electric motor, may be simplified or omitted. Finally, the speed can be steplessly regulated from the outside.

3,349,420 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 According to a feature of the invention, an improved mechanism is provide for effecting axial oscillating movement of the drum during rotation thereof.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment of a power-driven rotary brush will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the end of the brush which contains the hydraulic motor;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the opposite end of the brush of FIGURE 1 which contains the axial oscillating mechanism; and

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.

The brush shown in the drawings consists basically of a cylindrical drum 1, the outer surface of which is covered with bristles 2 of steel wire. The drum 1 is rotatably mounted on stationary, i.e. non-rotatable, journal or stub shafts 3 and 4 (see FIGURES 1 and 2 respectively) which project from opposite ends of the drum 1, and, when the brush is in use, are supported in a frame (not shown) which is movable towards and away from a working roll to be cleaned (not shown) to bring the bristles 2 into and out of engagement with the surface of this working roll.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the drum 1 is driven by a built-in hydraulic motor 5 having a stationary housing connected to the inner end of the stationary shaft 3 by a spacer block 6, and located in a frame 7 which is also secured to the spacer block 6. Any suitable type of impeller motor may be used, for example, a motor having twisted vanes, and in this embodiment, the motor 5 is a Lucas I.M.H. 500 hydraulic motor, which is capable of operating over a speed range of 200 to 2000 revolutions/minute when supplied with hydraulic fluid at a pressure of 2000 pounds/square inch, and a flow rate of 1.65 to 16.5 gallons/minute. The hydraulic fluid under pressure is fed to and removed from, the motor 5, through a number of passages 8 extending from an external adapter 9 (shown in broken lines), through the shaft 3 and spacer block 6 and connected to the motor 5 by means of a manifold 10 (FIGURE 3). A sump (not shown) may be provided within the drum 1 to collect and drain any hydraulic fluid leaking from the motor 5.

The motor 5 is provided with a drive shaft 11 which rotates the drum 1 through a reduction gear train comprising a pinion 12 secured to the drive shaft 11, which meshes with a pair of idler gears 13 rotatable about stationary shafts 14 (see FIGURE 3) carried by the frame 7. The idler gears 13 mesh with an internally toothed ring 15 which, as shown in FIGURE 3, is coupled to the drum 1 by means of keys 16 which are slidable in longitudinally extending keyways 17 cut in the internal surface of the drum 1, so that axial but not rotation movement may take place between the ring 15 and drum 1. i

The drum 1 is rotatably supported, at its end containing the motor 5, by means of roller bearings =18 arranged between the ring 15 and frame 7, and roller bearings 19 arranged between the shaft 3 and a bearing ring 20 which .is keyed at 21 to the drum 1. Sealing means 22 are provided on each side of the

bearings

18 and 19 to prevent contamination.

As previously mentioned, the end of the drum 1 opposite to that containing the hydraulic motor 5 contains a mechanism foraxially oscillating the drum 1, and this mechanism will now be described with reference to FIG- URE 2. As shown in this figure, the stationary shaft 4 is axially slidable telescopically within an inner sleeve '23. This sleeve 23 is keyed to the shaft 4 so that it is axially slidable, but not rotatable, relative to this. shaft, and carries a pair of axially spaced roller bearings 24 ro- 3 tatably supporting an outer sleeve 25 rigidly secured within the drum 1.

Rigidly mounted by its casing at the inner end of the inner sleeve 23 is a speed reduction unit 26, for example, a Heliocentric speed reduction unit having a ratio of 80: 1. The input shaft 27 of this unit 26 is nonrotatably coupled via a flexible universal coupling 28 to a transverse flange 29 rigid with the internal surface of the drum 1. The output shaft 30 of the unit 26 is keyed to a boss 31 to which is clamped a ring 32 provided with a pair of radially projecting lugs 33 between which is mounted one end of a link member 34. The opposite end of the link member 34 is secured between a pair of longitudinally projecting lugs 35 offset axially from the output shaft 30, and carried by a stub axle 36, freely rotatable, but axially located, relative to the shaft 4 in roller bearing 37.

As shown in the drawings, each end of the drum 1 is provided with an end plate 38 incorporating a seal 39 which seals against its associated shaft 3 or 4, preventing entry of scale, dirt or other extraneous materials into the space within the drum.

In operation, hydraulic fluid under pressure is supplied to and withdrawn from the motor 5 through the passages 8 and manifold 10 causing the motor drive shaft 11 to rotate. This rotation is transmitted via the reduction gear train comprising the pinion 12, idler gears 13 and internally toothed ring 15 keyed to the drum 1, to rotate the drum on the

roller bearings

18, 19 and 24 around the stationary shafts 3 and 4 and the drive and oscillating V mechanisms. The speed of the motor may be regulated continuously from outside the drum by varying the pressure of the hydraulic fluid, so as to give a wide range of drum speeds, for example, from 77 to 770 revolutions/ minute, without changing the ratio of the reduction gear train. Such a speed range gives, with an 11 inch external diameter drum carrying bristles bringing the overall diameter to 15 inches, a surface speed of between 302 and 3020 feet/minute. The hydraulic fluid serves the added purpose of cooling the motor 5, eliminating the need for additional cooling fans.

Rotation of the drum 1 is transmitted, via the transverse flange 29 and universal coupling 28, to the input shaft 27 of the speed reduction unit 26, resulting in slow rotation of the output shaft 30, and therefore of the lugs 33 and link member 34 bodily about the output shaft 30. Due to the eccentric arrangement of the lugs 35 relative to the axis of the output shaft 30, this rotation causes the unit 26, and therefore the inner sleeve 23, outer sleeve 25, and therefore the drum 1, to reciprocate or oscillate axially relative to the stationary shaft 4 between the positions shown in full and broken lines at the left hand ends of FIGURE 1. This oscillatory motion is accommodated at the other end of the drum, since the rings 15 and are keyed to, and therefore axially slidable relative to, the drum 1.

We claim:

1. A power driven rotary brush for cleaning the surface of a working roll in a rolling mill, comprising a drum, provided with bristles around its external surface, and rotatable about, and axially slidable relative to, a pair of stationary stub shafts extending one into each end of the drum, a hydraulic motor of the impeller type being mounted within the drum and adapted to rotate the drum relative to the stationary stub shafts, said hydraulic motor being rigidly mounted by its casing at the inner end of one stub shaft and being provided with an output shaft coupled to the drum through a reduction gear train including an internally toothed gear ring keyed to the drum to prevent rotation between the drum and gear ring but to permit axial movement therebetween, and means for oscillating the drum axially relative to the stub shafts upon rotation of the drum being connected to the other of said stub shafts, said oscillating means including a sleeve mounted for axial movement, but not rotation, on and relative to the inner end of said other shaft, and rotatable but not axially movable relative to the drum, and drive means for producing axial oscillatory motion between said other shaft and said sleeve upon rotation of the drum.

2. A brush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means comprises a speed reduction unit having a housing supported by and stationary with respect to the sleeve. an input shaft coupled to the drum for rotation therewith, and an output shaft having a radially displaced coupling element rotatable therewith, the coupling element being rotatably connected by an inclined link member to the said other shaft at a position displaced from the axis of rotation of the output shaft.

3. A power driven rotary brush for cleaning the surface of a work roll of a rolling mill, including a hollow elongate cylindrical metal drum, a layer of steel wire bristles secured to and surrounding the drum, a first nonrotatable stub shaft extending into one end of the drum and carrying within the drum a longitudinally extending frame, first and second axially spaced rings each disposed within and keyed to the drum to permit axial but not rotational movement between each ring and the drum, bearing means between the first ring and the first stub shaft and between the second ring and a zone of the frame axially remote from the first stub shaft, said bearing means permitting rotational but preventing axial movement of the rings relative to the first stub shaft and frame, a hydraulic motor of normal design mounted immovably by its housing in the frame, and having a drive shaft coupled via simple reduction gear train to drive the second ring, stationary hydraulic fluid inlet and outlet passages extending from outside the drum, longitudinally through the first stub shaft and at their inner ends connected to the hydraulic motor, a second stationary stub shaft extending into the opposite end of the drum, a sleeve surrounding the inner end of the second stub shaft, mounted for axial telescopic but not rotational movement relative to the second stub shaft, axially spaced bearing means between said sleeve and the opposite end of the drum, permitting rotational but not axial movement between the drum and sleeve, and oscillatory means interconnecting the sleeve and second stub shaft adapted to axially reciprocate the sleeve relative to the second stub shaft upon rotation of the drum relative to the first and second stub shafts by the hydraulic motor.

4. A brush as claimed in claim 3, wherein said oscillating means comprises a speed reduction unit including a casing fixedly secured to the inner end of the sleeve and an input shaft, rotatable about an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of the drum, coupled to and rotatable with the drum, and an output shaft rotatable about the same axis, carrying a radial extension, and an inclined link member pivotally connected at one end to said radial extension and at its opposite end pivotally connected to a stub axle freely mounted in the inner end of said second stub shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis eccentrically olfset from the axis of the output shaft, but axially fixed relative to said second stub shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,113,332 12/1963 Kasper 15-82 3,178,744 4/ 1965 Christian 15-2l 3,238,550 3/1966 Christian 15--2l CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

E. L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A POWER DRIVEN ROTARY BRUSH FOR CLEANING THE SURFACE OF A WORKING ROLL IN A ROLLING MILL, COMPRISING A DRUM, PROVIDED WITH BRISTLES AROUND ITS EXTERNAL SURFACE, AND ROTATABLE ABOUT, AND AXIALLY SLIDABLE RELATIVE TO, A PAIR OF STATIONARY STUB SHAFTS EXTENDING ONE INTO EACH END OF THE DRUM, A HYDRAULIC MOTOR OF THE IMPELLER TYPE BEING MOUNTED WITHIN THE DRUM AND ADAPTED TO ROTATE THE DRUM RELATIVE TO THE STATIONARY STUB SHAFTS, SAID HYDRAULIC MOTOR BEING RIGIDLY MOUNTED BY ITS CASING AT THE INNER END OF ONE STUB SHAFT AND BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTPUT SHAFT COUPLED TO THE DRUM THROUGH A REDUCTION GEAR TRAIN INCLUDING AN INTERNALLY TOOTHED GEAR RING KEYED TO THE DRUM TO PREVENT ROTATION BETWEEN THE DRUM AND GEAR RING BUT TO PERMIT AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS FOR OSCILLATING THE DRUM BEING CONNECTED TO THE OTHER UPON ROTATION OF THE DRUM BEING CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID STUB SHAFTS, SAID OSCILLATING MEANS INCLUDING A SLEEVE MOUNTED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT, BUT NOT ROTATION, ON AND RELATIVE TO THE INNER END OF SAID OTHER SHAFT, AND ROTATABLE BUT NOT AXIALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE DRUM, AND DRIVE MEANS FOR PRODUCING AXIAL OSCILLATORY MOTION BETWEEN SAID OTHER SHAFT AND SAID SLEEVE UPON ROTATION OF THE DRUM.