US3688962A

US3688962A - Feeding device for cold pilger mills

Info

Publication number: US3688962A
Application number: US96042A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul Schmitt; Manifred Hien; Karl-Heinz Kemmerling
Original assignee: WEAN IND Inc
Current assignee: WEAN IND Inc
Priority date: 1968-07-16
Filing date: 1970-12-08
Publication date: 1972-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-05
Also published as: FR2014626A1; DE1752792C3; DE1752792A1; DE1752792B2; GB1270981A

Abstract

Feeding means for feeding stock to the dies of a cold pilger mill and the like, comprising a pair of feed carriages having the usual stock clamps, and means for moving the carriages in opposite directions on the machine bed in line with the dies. The clamps on the carriage moving toward the dies are engaged with the stock to feed the same, while the clamps of the carriage moving away from the stock are disengaged from the latter. Means are provided to move the carriages in increments, including a novel drive coordinated with crank shaft movement to feed the stock within a planned and predetermined crank range and variably adaptable to suit the quality and degree of deformation of the stock.

Description

United States Patent Schmitt et al.

[ Sept. 5, 1972 [54] FEEDING DEVICE FOR COLD PILGER MILLS [72] Inventors: Paul Schmitt; Mnnifred Hien, both of Saarbruecken; Karl-Heinz Kem merling, Moenchengladbach, all of Germany [73] Assignee: Wean 1ndustries ,lnc., Yo1 1ngs tow1 ie W. 1

[22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1970 211 App]. No.: 96,042

[52] US. Cl ..226/141, 226/158 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 17/36 [58] Field of Search ..226/158, 159, 161, 162, 163,

226/l64,165,l66,l67, 141,139

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,389,556 11/1945 Siegerist ..226/112 UX Ovshinsky ..226/ 162x lto ..226/112 ABSTRACT Feeding means for feeding stock to the dies of a cold pilger mill and the like, comprising a pair of feed carriages having the usual stock clamps, and means for moving the carriages in opposite directions on the machine bed in line with the dies. The clamps on the carriage moving toward the dies are engaged with the stock to feed the same, while the clamps of the carriage moving away from the stock are disengaged from the latter. Means are provided to move the carriages in increments, including a novel drive coordinated with crank shaft movement to feed the stock within a planned and predetermined crank range and variably adaptable to suit the quality and degree of deformation of the stock.

9Claims,6DrawingFigures PATENTED SEP 5 I972 sum 1 or 5 [HZ I L- l a *wcwi PAUL ScHMn'T KARp-HBNZ KEMMERLING MANI'FRED HE I ZMM/M/M PATENTEDSEP' 5 m2 3.688.962

SHEEI 2 OF 5 PAUL. SCHMVTT KARbHEJNZ KEMMERLING MAMF'RED H\EN P'ATENT'EDsEP 5m 3.688.962

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awe/Mow PAUL Sc H NWT KARL Hamz KEMMERUNG FEEDING DEVICE ron cow moan MILLS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In prior apparatus known to us, a line shaft connects the crankshaft of the roll saddle with the feeding device through bevel gear pairs and drives a pair of cams. These cams by means of levers, supply the feeding movement for the feed carriage, and by means of worm gear sets supply the turning movement for the turning chucks. Since both cams are synchronized with the crankshaft, both movements occur simultaneously, and their time sequence repeats itself periodically.

Although these familiar types of drives proved successful in operation, there existed a need to simplify the mechanisms to increase the life thereof, and our invention accomplishes these purposes.

According to our invention, the feeding device comprises parallel-mounted feed spindles, each with a left and right hand thread, to move two feed carriages in opposite directions. The spindles are driven through individual worm gear sets, both of which are connected by an extended worm shaft whose thread pitch is of corresponding size and has leads in opposite directions. The turning of the worm gears is effected by clutches that are alternately engaged and disengaged through contact switches cooperable with the feed carriages. The clutches are rotated through individual worm gear sets, the 'worm shaft of such sets imparting movement v DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part 'of this application, there is shown, for purpose of illustration, an embodiment which our invention may assume, and in these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cold pilger mill incorporating our invention,

FIG. 2 is a similar plan view drawn to slightly enlarged scale, and showing the turning and feeding devices in section,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view of the turning device,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to the line 44 of FIG. 3,

FIG. '5 is an enlarged sectional view of the feeding device, and

FIG.- 6 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the invention in general manner in a cold reduction 'mill installation. A motor M, through belt 1 drives the crankshaft 2 of the roll saddle 3, in usual manner. The drive also causes rotation of a shaft 4 which is connected to a work'tuming gear box 5 and a work feed gear 6, both gear boxes being located outside of the machine bed 7.

The gear boxes 5 and '6 cooperate with components mounted in

housings

8 and 9, respectively which operate to turn and feed the work. The

housings

8 and 9 are located in the machine bed 7. A pair of

feed carriages

10, 11 are mounted on the machine bed for travel in opposite directions through the medium of feed spindles l2 and 13.

The work turning gear box 5 may be of well known v construction and is shown herein only to complete the picture of the installation. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gear box 5 contains gearing which is driven by the shaft 4 to cause rotation of a shaft 14, the free end of which is mounted in bearings in the housing 8. The shaft 14 has a worm 14 which meshes with a pair of worm wheels 15, one 'of which is an idler wheel and the other of which transmits turning movement to chucks (not shown but of familiar construction) which grip the work and rotate it as it' is being cold reduced by the pilger dies.

As is well known, the reducing dies 3a are carried by the roll saddle 3 and the latter is reciprocated by the crank 2. The dies also roll along the workpiece to cold work the same and, as is customary, have peripheral surfaces so contoured that the rolls engage the workpiece only during a predetermined portion of a revolution of the crank, and are free of the workpiece during the remainder of the revolution of the crank, so that a succeeding part of the workpiece may be fed for cold reduction by the dies.

The present invention utilizes the crankshaft drive 1 to feed the material to be rolled within a planned and predetermined crank range, and provides adjustment of 'the feed to suit the quality and degree of deformation of such material. For this purpose a cam 16 (FIG. 6) is fixed for rotation with the drive shaft 4, the cam being mounted in gear box 6. The contour of the cam is so designed to fulfill. the requirements with regard to feeding within the crank angle assumed therefore.

-A roller follower 17a is mounted for cooperation with the cam, the follower being rotatably carried at one end of a lever 17. A slide 18 carries the pivot 18a about which the lever 17 pivots. As seen in FIG. 6, the

slide f8 is mounted within a slideway formed in the lever 17 and is movable to various positions therein to thereby vary the amount of movement of the end 19 of the lever. The end 19 of the lever is connected to a nonrotatable, longitudinally movable shaft 20.

One end of the shaft 20 is disposed within a coupling 21in a 'manner whereby the coupling may rotate relative to the shaft but also may be moved in an axial direction by longitudinal movement of the shaft. The

opposite end of the shaft 20 is provided with a flange 29, and a spring 30 is disposed between the flange and a portion of the housing 6 to urge the shaft downwardly and thereby maintain the cam follower 17a in contact with the peripheral surface of the cam 16, and also to absorb shock which may be induced by longitudinal displacement of the shaft.

A spur gear 22-is mounted on the coupling 21 and engages with pinion 23 mounted on a shaft 24 which is rotatably carried by the housing 6. The shaft 24 has an 'end disposed outside of the housing and is driven by a gear set 25 which, through another gear set 26, is connected-to a worm set 27 whose worm gear is mounted on drive shaft 4. Gear set 25 may be changed so that feeding of the workpiece will always follow the time sequence which is mainly determined by the return movement of the roller lever 17, as will later appear.

The rotatable coupling 21 is secured to one end of a shaft 31, the opposite end of the shaft having a pair of spaced

worms

32a, 33a (FIG. 5) fixed thereon. The womis mesh with

respective worm gears

32, 33, and the latter are disposed on shafts connected to one part of

respective clutches

34, 35, The clutches are controlled through contacts cooperable with

respective feed carriages

10, 11, as will appear. The other parts of the

clutches

34, 35 are connected to shafts on which

worm gears

36, 37 are fixed. The

worm gears

36, 37 have opposite pitch directions, namely, right and left hand pitches, and are connected to

respective feed spindles

12, 13 to rotate the same and thereby move the

feed carriages

10, 11.

Feed spindle 13 has one section 38 formed with a left hand screw thread and another section 39 formed with a right hand screw thread. The feed spindle 12 has one section 40 formed with a right hand thread and another section 41 formed with a left hand thread.

For cold reducing a certain material, a certain feed rate is preset by adjustment of the slide 18 to provide a predetermined amount of longitudinal movement of the

shafts

20 and 31. Also, the gear set 25 is chosen to correspond to such longitudinal shaft movement.

The cam 16 is arranged on the shaft 4 in timed relation with a cycle of the crankshaft 2 so that the cam 16 begins to depress the cam follower 17a shortly after the crankshaft has reached its portion of the cycle wherein the dies are no longer working on the workpiece and the latter is ready to be fed forwardly. As the shaft 4 rotates, the high portion of the cam 16, through the cam follower 17a, depresses the left hand end of lever 17 and therefore elevates the

shafts

20 and 31 while the shaft 31 is rotated by the drive consisting of the worm gear set 27, the gear set 26, the selected gear set 25, the pinion 23 and spur gear 22. The spring 30 will absorb any shock caused by this movement and also will prevent separation between the cam follower and the cam.

Since the

worms

32a, 33a are fixed to, or are an integral part of shaft 31, these worms act in the manner of a gear rack to effect rotation of the

respective worm gear

32, 33, and this is cumulative with the rotation of the shaft 31 by the rotating drive.

The turning of the worm gears 32,33 is translated to the respective parts of

clutches

34, 35. Assuming clutch 35 is disengaged and clutch 34 is engaged, worm gear 37 is rotated in the same direction (clockwise for example) as worm gears 32, 33, and therefore spindle 12 is also rotated in this direction. The worm shaft on which

worms

36a, 37a are fixed is also rotated in a clockwise direction by reason of the meshing of worm 37awith worm gear 37. However, the worm 36a and its gear 36 are of a pitch opposite to that of the worm 37a and worm gear 37 and therefore the worm gear 36 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Therefore, the two feed spindles .12, 13 are rotated in opposite directions.

Since the spindle 12 has

portions

40, 41 of right and left hand threads which are threaded in nuts which are respectively carried by the

feed carriages

10, 11, and spindle 13 has

portions

38, 39 of left and right hand threads which are threaded in nuts respectively carried by the

feed carriages

10, 11, the latter are caused to move in opposite directions. Accordingly, when the carriage moves in a direction toward the dies, its

clamp jaws are engaged with the workpiece to feed it in a direction toward the rocking dies 3a. At the same time, the carriage 11 will be moved in an opposite direction, and its clamp jaws will be open so as not grip the workpiece.

After the cam 16 has been rotated so that its high point passes the cam follower 170, the feeding effect of the

worms

32a, 33a ceases since the shaft 31 is not longer moved in an upward direction, referring to the position of parts in FIG. 5. The

feed carriages

10, 11 therefore no longer move and the rotation of the shaft 31 is not able to overcome the weight of the slides and friction in the worm gear sets, so the worm gears 32, 33 at this time remain stationary and the rotation of the shafts causes the

worms

32a, 33a to screw themselves out of the respective worm gears 32, 33 and thereby move the shaft 31 downwardly (with respect to FIG. 5). The change gear set 25 has been chosen so that it imparts rotation to the shaft 31 in the precise amount necessary to maintain the cam follower 17a in engagement with the cam periphery as the

worms

32a, 33a unscrew themselves out of the worm gears 32, 33. Thus, the carriages l0, 11 are moved in increments depending upon the adjusted position of the pivot 18a, and this adjustment may be made outside of the machine frame and outside of the gear box 6. The gear set 25 may also be easily changed since this set is located outside the gear box 6.

When the

feed carriages

10, 11 have been incrementally moved a predetermined amount, as when the carriage 10 is moved to a predetermined limit in a direction toward the rocking dies, the carriage 10 will engage a limit switch 40 (see FIG. 1) to disengage the clutch 34 and engage the clutch 35, whereupon the drive caused by the rack effect of the

worms

32a, 33a will be translated to the worm gear 36 and the

spindles

12, 13 will be driven in reverse but opposite directions. Therefore, the carriage 10 will be moved in a direction away from the rocking dies 30 and its clamping jaws will be open. At the same time, the carriage 11 will be moved in a direction toward the rocking dies and its clamping jaws will be closed on the work to thereby feed the workpiece toward the dies. After a predetermined amount of carriage movement, the carriage 10 may engage another limit switch 41 (see FIG. 1) whereupon the clutch 35 is disengaged and the clutch 34 again engaged to cause feeding of the workpiece by means of the carriage 10.

We claim:

1. Mechanism for feeding stock to the dies of a cold pilger mill, comprising a pair of feed carriages mounted on the frame of the mill for movement toward and away from the dies, with the jaws of the carriage moving toward the dies being closed on the stock and the jaws of the carriage moving away from the dies being disengaged from the stock, means for moving said carriages in opposite directions comprising a pair of parallel,

rotatably mounted feed spindles, one feed spindle having left hand screw connection with one carriage and a right hand screw thread connection with the other carriage, and the other feed spindle having a right hand screw connection with said one carriage and a left hand screw thread connection with said other carriage, and means for rotating said spindles in opposite directions.

2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said feed spindles are rotated by two double worm gear sets, the worm gears of such sets being controllably connected by a pair of clutches, means including the worms of one set for rotating the worm gears of said one set in a predetermined direction, and means controlling operation of said clutches to drivingly engage one or the other worm gear of the other set with the worm gears of said one set, said one or the other worm gears being of opposite pitch and meshing with corresponding worms which are tied together for rotation, the driven one of said other worm gears driving the other through said corresponding worms, and said other worm gears driving the other through said corresponding worms, in said other worm gears being in driving relation with respective feed spindles.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein the worms of said one gear set are on a common shaft which is movable axially so that said worms rotate their respective worm gears through a rack effect.

4. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said common shaft is moved axially by connection with one end of a lever, the opposite end having a follower engaging a cam which is rotated by a rotatable shaft having driven connection with the drive for the crankshaft of said dies.

5. The construction according to claim 4 wherein the pivot of said lever is shiftable between the lever ends to thereby vary the amount of axial movement of said common shaft.

6. The construction according to claim 5 wherein said common shaft is also rotated by a train of gears which are drivenby connection with the shaft that rotates said cam.

7. The construction according to claim 6 wherein said train of gears includes a set of change gears whereby said set may be interchanged with another set to vary the speed of rotation of said common shaft.

8. The construction according to claim 7 wherein a different change gear set is included in said train of gears each time said pivot of said lever is shifted to another position, the selected change gear set bearing direct relation to the amount of axial movement of said common shaft.

9. A feeding device for cold pilger mills having a reciprocating roll saddle, the main drive of said mill being drivingly connected with separate gear boxes outside of the machine bed to furnish a feed and turn movement for the stock through clamping carriages and clamping jaws, said feed device being characterized by a reversing gear set of a type where through two double worm gear sets and two clutches two parallel feed spindles are driven, each feed spindle having threaded sections of opposite pitch, each section being I connected in threaded fashion to a clamping carriage.

Claims

1. Mechanism for feeding stock to the dies of a cold pilger mill, comprising a pair of feed carriages mounted on the frame of the mill for movement toward and away from the dies, with the jaws of the carriage moving toward the dies being closed on the stock and the jaws of the carriage moving away from the dies being disengaged from the stock, means for moving said carriages in opposite directions comprising a pair of parallel, rotatably mounted feed spindles, one feed spindle having left hand screw connection with one carriage and a right hand screw thread connection with the other carriage, and the other feed spindle having a right hand screw connection with said one carriage and a left hand screw thread connection with said other carriage, and means for rotating said spindles in opposite directions.

9. A feeding device for cold pilger mills having a reciprocating roll saddle, the main drive of said mill being drivingly connected with separate gear boxes outside of the machine bed to furnish a feed and turn movement for the stock through clamping carriages and clamping jaws, said feed device being characterized by a reversing gear set of a type where through two double worm gear sets and two clutches two parallel feed spindles are driven, each feed spindle having threaded sections of opposite pitch, each section being connected in threaded fashion to a clamping carriage.