US3709346A

US3709346A - Roller guide

Info

Publication number: US3709346A
Application number: US00069258A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Peterson; E Davis
Original assignee: Rolling Mill Engineers Inc
Current assignee: Rolling Mill Engineers Inc
Priority date: 1970-09-03
Filing date: 1970-09-03
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09

Abstract

A guide for feeding stock to the rolls of a rolling mill in proper orientation is disclosed. A pair of guide roller carriers and a pair of entry bells with rollers are pivotally mounted to a base and are joined for interrelated movement by a common adjusting mechanism. Guide bars are semifloatingly mounted intermediate the entry bells and guide rollers and are urged by appropriate camming structure toward and away from the center line of the guide by movement of the guide roller carriers and entry bells. Transverse movement of the center line of the guide is accomplished by mounting a captive threaded member to the adjusting mechanism.

Description

United States Patent [191 Peterson et al.

1111 3,709,346 [451 Jan. 9, 1973 541 ROLLER GUIDE [73] Assignee: Rolling Mill Douglassville, Pa.

22 Filed: Sept. 3, 1970 21 App'l.No.:69,258

Engineers, Inc.,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,371,770 3/1968 Graham et al. ..226/l76 X 3,163,343 12/1964 Zernor ..226/l99 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-H. S. Lane Attorney-Synnestvedt 8L Lechner [57] ABSTRACT A guide for feeding stock to the rolls of a rolling mill in proper orientation is disclosed. A pair of guide roller carriers and a pair of entry bells with rollers are pivotally mounted to a base and are joined for interrelated movement by a common adjusting mechanism. Guide-bars are semifloatingly mounted intermediate the entry bells and guide rollers and are urged by appropriate camming structure toward and away from the center line of the guide by movement of the guide roller carriers andentry bells. Transverse movement of the center line of the guide is accomplished by mounting a captive threaded member to the adjusting mechanism. Y

4 23 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Pmmwm 9 ms 3.709.346

SHEET 1 0F 5 S2 1 H 8 i him i Ill :5 f INVENTORS EDWARD C. PETERSON ERNEST E. DAVIS BY wmfi m E ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAN 9 I975 FIG. 2

SHEET 2 OF 5 INVENTORS EDWARD C. PETERSON ERNEST E. DAVIS BY ymnaduedtfl anu ATTORNEYS PATENTED AN 9 I97 3. 709.346

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FIG. 3

INVENTORS EDWARD C. PETERSON ERNEST E. DAVIS aY y/rmmibzdty lem ATTORNEYS PATENTED JAN 9 I975 SHEET 0F 5 FIG. 4

INVENTORS E EDWARD C. PETERSON E. DAVIS ERNEST ATTORNEYS ROLLER cums BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to roller guides for accurately guiding hot rolled steel stock, particularly oval stock, to the pass of two cooperating mill rolls.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the hot rolling of bars and sections of steel and steel alloys into desired shapes, it is a commonly accepted axiom that the work always leaves the pass of the rolling mill in the same position as it entered. Therefore, if a bar is not exactly symmetrical to the center planes of the pass of the mill when it enters, it will exhibit the same deviation from the symmetrical position upon leaving the pass. For this reason, entry guides are employed to feed the work accurately into the pass of the mill so that stock of correct cross section I ment. Also, the sliding contact between the guide bars and the peripheral surfaces of the stock causes the stock to become grooved, gouged or scratched. Further, since the guides are fixedly mounted, irregularities in the stock, such as enlargements known as knuckles and bends, cause the stock to seize in the guide. Additionally, it has been found that such guides could not be used with repeaters, devices for refeeding the stock through the mill for a subsequent pass, with reliability.

Entry guides employing fixed rollers in place of the guide bars have also been used. Such guides avoid the problems of wear and stock defacement which arise from the frictional forces developed in the sliding-type guides. However, since the rollers in these guides are unyieldingly mounted, the problem of the stock seizing in the guide remains. and bearing life of the rollers is severely curtailed by the stresses and shock loads placed on such rollers by the stock.

To obviate or lessen the problems attendant with the use of guides of the type mentioned above, it is necessary to increase the running clearances between the guide parts and the stock. This, in turn, lessens the holding capabilities of the guide and allows the stock to move and wander as it is fed to the mill rolls, which, in turn, causes a loss of control over the final rolled shape of the stock. To overcome these difficulties, guides using yieldably mounted guide rollers, usually employing a pair of elongated roller carriers pivotally and resiliently mounted in the guide box, have been used. Entry guide bells of the sliding type guide the stock from the entry end of the guide to the guide rollers. However, to prevent the stock from wandering in the guide, the entry guide bells must closely engage the stock to generate sufficiently high holding forces. It follows that frictional forces also increase, and the problems of stock seizure and surface scratching, as occur in the fixed bar type of guides, reappear. If running clearances between the stock and entry guides are increased, then the stock wanders and is not accurately positioned in the pass of the mill rolls. These guide designs have relied upon changing the guide rollers and utilizing in combination therewith many differently sized and configured entry guide bells in an attempt to allow a guide to handle a range of the myriad different sizes of stock being worked in the ordinary rolling mill. Further, by reason of the intricacies ofthe resilient mountings, simple adjusting expedients for properly setting up the guide have not been forthcoming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a roller guide for rolling mills which comprises a pair of guide roller carriers and a pair of roller carrying entry bells resiliently mounted for interrelated movement by a common adjusting mechanism. The placement of entry rollers in the entry bells allows the stock being rolled to be more firmly engaged to prevent the stock from wandering as it advances to the mill pass, yet reduces the likelihood of the stock being scratched. Adaptability of the roller guide to a wide-range of stock without the necessity of changing such guide parts as rollers and entry bells is accomplished by movably mounting the guide roller carriers and the entry bells and incorporating a pair of movable guide bars extending from the entry rollers to the guide rollers. Camming mechanisms operative between the guide roller holders, the entry bells, and the guide bars insure that the distance between the guide bars is related to the distance set between the guiderollers and entry rollers.

Provision is made for finely adjusting the center line of the guide to correspond more precisely with the pass axis of the mill rolls after the guide has been mounted to the rest bar and without changing the distance between the rollers. This is accomplished by utilizing structure which allows the common adjusting mechanism to be shifted relative to the pass'center line of the guide. Horizontal adjustment of the guide'rollers is carried out by means of a height-adjustable rocker bar disposed beneath the guide roller carriers.

Manufacturing economies and operating simplicity are effected by utilizing a common adjusting mechanism, operable from the side of the guide, for setting the distance between the guide rollers and the entry rollers, for setting the center line of the guide assembly to the pass axis of the mill rolls, and for setting the amount of yieldability or preload on the roller guide carrier and entry bell assemblies. This common adjusting mechanism includes a double threaded shaft having differently threaded ends on which are carried posts which engage the guide roller carriers and entry bells. Upon the turning of this shaft, each of the respective ends of the roller guide carriers and entry bells are moved an equal distance. Further, the captive threaded member is also mounted on this shaft which, when turned, causes the center line of the guide to be shifted by reason of the traversing of the shaft through the threaded member, with consequent shifting of the guide roller carriers and entry bells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a roller guide according to the invention, a portion of which has been removed along the section lines indicated by III-Ill in FIG. 2. I

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line I-l of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line ll-II OF FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the roller guide showing the manner in which several major subassemblies of the roller guide of this invention are assembled.

FIGS. 5 and-5a are exaggerated schematic representations of the roller guide of this invention for illustrating respective movements of elements of theroller guide.

FIGS. 6 and 6a are exaggerated schematic representations of the roller guide of this invention illustrating the shifting of the center line of the guide.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It should be noted that, with certain particular exceptions, the portion of the roller guide disposed on one side of the center line is essentially the mirror image of that which appears to the other side of the center line. For this reason, and to simplify the description of the preferred embodiment, elements described on one half of the guide having companion elements on the other will be identified by a dual designation, for instance 1 1. However, to avoid undue complication of the drawings, only one of the elements may appear and be designated in the drawings. The conventionadopted here is that items appearing to the left of the center line The shaft 14 is unequally divided to enable an internally threaded member, such as nut 18, to engage the shaft in a central region surrounding the midpoint of the shaft. The width of member 18 corresponds generally to the distance between bosses 19-19 of yoke 10 so that, while member 18 may be freely rotated, axial movement of shaft 14 is substantially precluded. Configured recesses 16-16, such as the type to be engaged by an Allen wrench, are disposed in respective end portions of shaft 14, although it is to be realized that other mechanical equivalents could equally well be used.

Referring to FIG. 2, a housing 23-23 is carried at each end of the shaft 14. Mounting each housing 23- 23 to its respective end of the shaft 14 are threaded fasteners 21-21 and 25-25 which are held against rotation by locking plates 22-22 and 26-26 which of the guide as it is viewed in FIG. 1 will be identified As is conventional, the foreportions of roller carriers 2-2 are suitably tapered to allow the guide rollers to be placed as close to the pass of the mill rolls as possible. Roller carriers 2-2 are pivotally journaled on posts 4-4, posts 4-4 being fixedly mounted in an aligned manner perpendicularly to baseplate 45, as-

shown in FIG. 4.

Entry bells 7-7 are journaled to posts 9-9, which posts are fixedly mounted in base in alignment with each other and with posts 4-4, again as shown in FIG. 4. Entry bells 7-7 include entry rollers 8-8 of generally, the same size and configuration as guide rollers 3-3, mounted for rotation by suitable bearing structure. I

Mounted above roller carriers 2-2' and entry bells 7-7 is yoke 10. As shown in FIG. 4, yoke 10 is mounted with flanges 12-12 and 13-13 held on posts 4-4 and 9-9' respectively by any suitable I means for instance, by the threaded fasteners shown.

Freely received in the groove 11 of yoke 10 is screw shaft 14. Screw shaft 14 is divided, as by an undercut portion 15, into two portions of unequal length, one portion having a thread turned in one direction for instance, a left-hand thread, and the other portion having the oppositely turned thread, a right-hand thread.

further are held to housings 23-23 by fastening elements such as machine screws 27-27. Disposed between shoulders or annular bosses 52-52 of housings 23-23 and fastenersZl-Zl are resilient spring washers 51-51 which tend to urge housings 23-23' outwardly from the center line of the guide. lntegral with or fixedly attached to housings 23-23 and depending therefrom are posts 6-6.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, posts 6-6 pivotally interconnect roller carriers 2-2' and entry bells 7-7 "in the following manner. Posts 6-6 are received in apertures contained in lugs 49-49 of roller carriers 2-2'. To engage posts 6-6, entry bells 7-7 are bifurcated to form arms 50-50, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1, which preferably extend past the center line of posts 6-6. This construction allows roller carriers 2-2 and entry bells 7-7 to rotate about respective pivot posts 4-4 and 9-9 as posts 6-6 move transversely to the pass center line of the guide.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, guide bars 28-28 extend from the end of the guide assembly adjacent the entryrollers 8-8 to a point adjacent guide rollers 2- 2. Guide bars 28-28 are supported in a yieldable manner such as by bevel-headed screws 29-29 which are inserted in countersunk apertures in guides 28-28' and which extend through apertures 32-32 in roller carriers 2-2. Compression springs 30-30 are disposed about the shaft of screws 29-29 and are retained in position between the ends of screws 29- 29 and the bottom of recess 55-55 by a suitable retaining element such as a washer backed by a nut, as shown. Opposite ends of guide bars 28-28' are supported in a recessed portion of entry bells 7-7 as shown in FIG. 3. Guide bars 28-28 have formed in top and bottom surfaces thereof recesses 34-34 and 37-37. Threaded through appropriate apertures in entry bells 7-7 are dog screws 35-35 and 36-36" which preferablyhave smooth beveled or rounded end portions for engaging recesses 34-34' and 37-37 respectively. At each forward end portion of guides 28-28' are beveled camming surfaces38-38 which are held in engagement with camming bosses 39-39" 39-39 by theaction of compression springs 30-30 which urge guide bars 28-28' outwardly.

Disposed beneath roller carriers 2-2' is a rocker'bar 41 mounted for pivotal movement by means of the threaded pivot screw 42 contained in recess 43 in base 45. Mounted directly above rocker bar 41 through threaded apertures in flanges 12-12 of the yoke are adjusting screws 46-46 having lock nuts 47-47 bearing on roller carriers 2-2.

As shown in' FIGS. 1 and 3, entry bell 7 includes an undercut portion 53 disposed on the top surface, and though not shown, entry bell 7 includes a similar undercut portion 53 on its bottom surface. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, entry bell 7 has a skirt portion 54 extending in the region of undercut portion 53. Likewise, entry bell 7 includes a skirt portion 54 extending in the region of an undercut portion 53 of entry bell 7. These overlapping skirts 54-54 serve to close off the opening between

entry bells

7 and 7.

Further, coolant passages are provided through base 10, posts 4-4 and 9-9, and roller carriers 2-2 and entry bells 7-7 to provide rollers 3-3 and 8-8 with coolant. Coolant is delivered to these rollers by orifices which direct the cooling medium so that it impinges tangentially on the roller and is carried outwardly of the guide by the spinning action of the roller to lessen the likelihood that the stock will becomecooled. Grease fittings and grease passages are provided in the guide roller carriers 2-2 and entry bells 7-7 to lubricate the bearings of rollers 3-3 and 8-8. Also, as is conventional, base 45 is provided with means for attaching the guide to the rest bar of the rolling mill with which the guide is associated.

If desired, a scale may be fixedly mounted to one of the entry bells for making an initial setting of roller gaps. The scale would extend across to the other entry bell which would carry a score mark or the equivalent for indicating the gap value on the scale.

For purposes of envisioning the operation of the various elements of the disclosed guide, it is appropriate to consider base unit 45, posts 4-4 and 9-9, and yoke 10 as forming a fixed unit or frame in relation to which all other elements are movable or rotatable. Also, with reference to FIGS. 5, 5a, 6 and 6a, it should be noted that these views have been exaggerated for purposes of illustration and do not represent actual working conditions of the guide.

In use, stock is introduced into the opening of entry bells 7-7 and is engaged by entry rollers 8-8 which serve to position and hold the stock firmly, thereby preventing it from wandering in the guide. Bars 28- 28 slidingly engage side surfaces of the stock and serve to hold and feed it in proper orientation to guide rollers 3-3'. The rollers 3-3 bear upon the stock and hold it in the preferred orientation as it passes to the mill rolls. In practice, the gap between rollers 8-8 is slightly greater than the gap between rollers 3-3'. This reduces the wear on the bearings of rollers 8-8 and is permissible since rollers 8-8 do not have to generate holding forces quite as high as those required of rollers 3-3.

When setting up the guide to accommodate stock of a given dimension, it is necessary to position the guide rollers 3-3 to a certain gap. This is accomplished by inserting an appropriate tool in the tool-receiving aperture 16-16 on either side of shaft 14 and causing rotation of this shaft. Since nuts 21-21' and 25-25 are held against rotation by lock plates 22-22 and 26-26, rotation of the shaft 14 in either direction will cause the housings 23-23 to move in a direction transverse to that of the center line of the guide. It will be recalled that respective sections of shaft 14 carry oppositely turned threads and, therefore, when shaft 14 is rotated, housings 23-23 will move in opposite directions, i.e., awayfrom each other or toward each other. Movement of housings 23-23 will cause attendant movement of posts 6-6. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 5a, movement of posts 6-6 will cause both roller carriers 2-2 and entry bells 7-7 to rotate about posts 4-4 and 9-9 respectively, thereby causing symmetrical movement of the guide rollers 3-3 and entry rollers 8-8 about the pass center line. Preferably, the center line distance between rollers 3- 3 and posts 4-4 is the same as the center line distance between rollers 8-8 and posts 9-9. Therefore, rollers 3-3 and 8-8 will move equal distances transversely of the pass center line.

Rotation of entry bells 7-7 will cause dog screws 35-35 and 36-36 to be moved in an arc. This in turn will shift guide bars 28-28-forwardly or rearwardly in the direction of the pass center line. Such shifting of the guide bars is made possible by employing mounting screws 29-29 of a significantly lesser diameter than apertures 32-32, thereby allowing fore and aft movement of mounting screws 29-29 relative to roller carriers 2-2. When guide bars 28-28' are moved forwardly or rearwardly, beveled camming surfaces 38-38 ride on camming bosses 39-39. Forward movement of the guide bars 28-28 causes camming bosses 39-39 to urge the guide bars inwardly toward the pass center line and, correspondingly, rearward movement of the guide bars allows spring 30 to retract the guide bars away from the pass center line. Further, it should be realized that inward and outward movement of roller carriers 2-2 cause related movements of guide bars 28-28 by reason of camming bosses 39-39 bearing upon guide bars 28-28. Thus, the distance between the guide bars is correlated to the distance between the roller guides and no separate adjustment of these elementsis necessary.

In practice, it has been found that a single roller having a simple V face configuratioman overall diameter of 2.125 inch, a throat diameter of 1.562 inch, and a height of 1.436 inch can be utilized for rollers 3-3 and 8-8 in a guidewhich will, with the required precision, handle oval stock being rolled into round stock having a diametral range of from 21/32 inch to 1 inch. Thus, the disclosed guide can accomplish by way of adjustment what in normal practice would require as many as three or four changes of conventional entry bells and oval-faced rollers. Consequently, down time of the mill is decreased and production increased.

It is sometimes determined, once the roller guide has been rigidly mounted to the rest bar of the rolling mill, that the center line of the guide is not in complete alignment with the pass center line of the mill rolls. Finely adjusting the center line of the disclosed guide without changing the roller setting is easily and simply accomplished in a manner which is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a. FIG. 6 shows the guide set in an original position with the elements thereof defining pass center line A. To move the center line to that designated B in FIG. 60, it is necessary to holdshaft 14 against rotation .7 for example, by means of an Allen or key wrench and then rotate nut 18 by a wrench. This causes shaft 14 to be moved transversely to the pass center line, carrying with it housings 23-23. As shown in FIG. 6a by way of illustration, shaft 14 and housings 23-23 have bars 28-28 follow the placement of the associated roller carrier and entry bell and are corelatively positioned therewith. Thus, a new pass center line designated B is defined between the rollers 3-3 and 8-8 and guide bars 28-28. It should be noted that in the preferred embodiment, the distance d designating the gap between the rollers remains the same between the conditions shown in FIG. 6 and those shown in FIG. 6a, thereby eliminating the need for further adjustment of the roller gap. The gap is maintained because the arcs through which the respective elements 2-2' and 7-7 are traversed and the distance between the respective pivot points 4-4 and 9-9 and the rollers are the same, and, therefore, the distances which these elements traverse will be the same with respect to the pass center line.

. Rollers 3-3 and 8-8 and interconnected guide bars 28-28 bear resiliently on the stock by means of the structure shown in FIG. 2. Spring washers 51-51 are coactive between housings 23-23 and nuts 21- 21' to urge rollers 3-3 and 8-8 via posts 6-6; into engagement with the stock and cause the rollers to develop high holding pressures to hold the stock in proper position. If, however, an irregularity in the stock, such as a knuckle, is introduced between guide rollers 3-3 or entry rollers 8-8, the rollers are free to yield outwardly by reason of the resilient mounting of carriers 2-2 and bells 7-7 through posts 6-6. This yieldability allows the stock to pass without seizing in the guide and lessens the loads placed on the bearings of the rollers. The amount of force with whichrollers 3-3 and 8-8 engage the stock can be preset by the loading of spring washers 51-51. This is done by removing lock plates 22-22 and moving nuts 21- 21' inwardly or outwardly of housings 23-23 while holding shaft 14 against rotation, thus compressing the spring washers 51-51' to a greater or lesser extent.

Also provided is a means for changing the horizontal alignment of the guide rollers 3-3 with respect to each other. Accomplishment of this adjustment can best be explained by reference to FIG. 2. If it is found desirable to lower roller 3, then look nut 47 is released and adjusting screw 46 is caused to move downwardly, thereby lowering guide roller carrier 2 along

posts

4 and 6. Lowered guide roller carrier 2 rocks rock bar 41 about pivot screw 42 and rock bar 41 then causes corresponding upward movement of roller guide carrier 2', assuming adjusting screw '46 has been withdrawn upwardly to allow such movement. This mechanism allows the mill operator to accomplish the operation commonly known in the art as crossing the roll," an operation which is sometimes necessary, particularly when rolling oval stock into round stock, to correct the resulting shape of the round stock.

Further, the horizontal elevation of both rollers 3- 3 can be changed by inserting an appropriate key down through the guide to engage pivot screw 42. To obtain a downward movement of the rollers, screw 42 is retracted into rocker bar 41. Carriers 2-2 then drop downwardly on posts 4-4 and 6-6. To lock the rollers in this position, screws 46 are then moved downwardly to engage carriers 2-2. To raise the rollers, a reverse procedure is followed.

The term .conjoint as it appears in the claims below refers to the related'movement of the various elements either toward or away from the center line of the guide.

We claim:

1. A roller guide for elongate stock comprising:

a base;

a pair of opposed elongate guide roller carriers;

a first pair of aligned pivot means for pivotally mounting each guide roller carrier at a point intermediate its ends to the base;

a pair of entry bells;

a second pair of aligned pivot means spaced from the first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting the entry bells to the base; and

adjustment means for causing the roller carriersand entry bells to pivot about the respective first and second pivot means to cause simultaneous'transverse movement of each of the guide roller carriers and entry bells with respect to the past center line of the guide thereby adjusting the distance between the opposed roller carriers and the distance between the opposed entry bells.-

2. A roller guide according to claim 1 whereinla roller is mounted in each entry hell. I

3. A roller guide according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment means includes:

first means for interconnecting an end portion of one of the pair of roller carriers to an end portion of one of the pair of entry bells; and

second means for interconnecting an end portion of the other roller carrier to an end portion of the other entry bell.

4. A roller guide according to claim 3 wherein the first and second interconnecting means are pivot posts.

5. A roller guide according to claim 3 including resilient means coactive between the adjustment means and the interconnecting means for urging the roller carriers and entry bells toward the center line of the guide.

6. A roller guide comprising: a base, a pair of guide roller carriers, means pivotally mounting the guide roller carriers to the. base, a pair of entry bells, means pivotally mounting the entry bells to the base, adjustment means for causing simultaneous transverse movement of the guide roller carriers and entry bells with respect to the passcenter line of the guide, i r first means for interconnecting an end portion of one -of the pair of roller carriers to an end portion of one of the pair of entry bells; and second means for interconnecting an end portion of the other roller carrier to an end portion of the other entry bell, the adjustment means including: a double threaded screwshaft;

a pair of housings threadedly received on differently threaded portions of the screw shaft; and

wherein the first and second interconnecting means are a pair of posts, each one affixed to one of the housings, each of the posts pivotally interconnecting a roller carrier with an entry bell.

7. A roller guide according to claim 6 including spring means operatively interposed between the screw shaft and the posts for urging the roller carriers and entry bells toward the center line of the guide.

8. A roller guide comprising:

a frame;

a pair of guide roller carriers;

first pivot means pivotally mounting the guide roller carriers to the frame;

a pair of entry bells;

second pivot means spaced from the first pivot means for pivotally mounting the entry bells to the frame;

a common adjusting means for causing the guide roller carriers and entry bells to pivot about the first and second pivot means respectively for setting the distance between each of the guide roller carriers and the distance between each of the entry bells;

interconnecting means operatively associating the roller carriers and the entry bells with the adjusting means; and

means cooperative between the frame and the adjusting means causing the adjusting means and interconnecting means to move transversely of the past center line of the guide.

9. A roller guide according to claim 8 wherein the adjusting means includes a threaded shaft, and the means for causing movement of the adjusting means is a threaded member received on the shaft, held axially confined by the frame.

10. A roller guide according to claim 9 wherein the roller carriers and entry bells are pivotally mounted to the frame and the interconnecting means pivotally join end portions of each of the roller carriers to end portions of each of the entry bells.

11. A roller guide comprising:

a base;

a pairof guide roller carriers;

means mounting the roller carriers to the base for movement toward and away from the base;

rocker bar means pivotally disposed on the base for causing opposed movement of the roller carriers with respect to each other; and

means for causing the pair of roller carriers to both move in the same direction toward and away from the base.

12. A roller guide according to claim 11 wherein the means for causing movement of the roller carriers is a pivot screw.

13. A roller guide according to claim 12 wherein the pivot screw is threadedly received in the rocker bar.

14. A roller guide according to claim 11 wherein the means mounting the roller carriers are posts slideably receiving the roller carriers.

15. A roller guide according to claim 11 wherein the guide includes means for adjusting the distance between each roller carrier and the base.

16. A roller guide comprising:

a base;

a first pair of posts mounted to the base;

a second pair of posts mounted to the base;

a pair of guide roller carriers pivotally received on the first pair of posts;

a pair of entry bells pivotally received on the second pair of posts;

rollers mounted on the roller carriers and entry bells;

a yoke received on the posts;

a pairof posts, each pivotally interconnecting a roller carrier to an entry bell; and adjustment means received in the yoke and operatively engaging the interconnecting posts for causing the posts to move in opposed directions.

17. A roller guide according to claim 16 and further including a pair of guide bars extending between the rollers on the entry bells and the rollers on the roller carriers;

means for shiftably mounting the guide bars to the roller carriers; means responsive to movement of the roller carriers and entry bells for shifting the guide bars; and

means responsive to the shifting of the guide bars for moving the guide bars toward or away from the center line of the guide.

18. A roller guide according to claim 16 wherein the adjustment means is a screw shaft, a threaded member is received on the shaft, and the yoke includes means for engaging the threaded member for preventing axial movement thereof.

19. A roller guide according to claim 16 wherein the guide roller carriers are slideable on the mounting posts and interconnecting posts;

a rocker bar is mounted on thebase and engages the guide roller carriers; and

a threaded pivot screw pivotally mounts the rocker bar to the base.

20. A roller guide for elongate stock comprising:

a pair of opposed guide roller carriers;

a first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting each of the guide roller carriers;

a pair of opposed entry bells;

a second pair of pivot means spaced from the first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting each of the entry bells;

a pair of guide bar means for guiding stock, the guide bar means extending between portions of the guide roller carriers and the entry bells; and

means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bar means when the roller carriers and entry bells are caused to pivot about the first and second pivot means respectively.

21. A roller guide according to claim'20 wherein the means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bars includes means for shifting the guide bars in a direction parallel to the center line of the guide.

22. A roller guide according to claim 21 wherein the means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bars includes cam means engaged by the guide bars.

23. A roller guide according to claim 20 wherein the means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bars includes:

means for shifting the guide bars in a direction parallel to the center line of the guide responsive to movement of the entry bells; and

cam means engaged by the guide bars. 1

t i l

Claims

1. A roller guide for elongate stock comprising: a base; a pair of opposed elongate guide roller carriers; a first pair of aligned pivot means for pivotally mounting each guide roller carrier at a point intermediate its ends to the base; a pair of entry bells; a second pair of aligned pivot means spaced from the first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting the entry bells to the base; and adjustment means for causing the roller carriers and entry bells to pivot about the respective first and second pivot means to cause simultaneous transverse movement of each of the guide roller carriers and entry bells with respect to the past center line of the guide thereby adjusting the distance between the opposed roller carriers and the distance between the opposed entry bells.

2. A roller guide according to claim 1 wherein a roller is mounted in each entry bell.

3. A roller guide according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment means includes: first means for interconnecting an end portion of one of the pair of roller carriers to an end portion of one of the pair of entry bells; and second means for interconnecting an end portion of the other roller carrier to an eNd portion of the other entry bell.

6. A roller guide comprising: a base, a pair of guide roller carriers, means pivotally mounting the guide roller carriers to the base, a pair of entry bells, means pivotally mounting the entry bells to the base, adjustment means for causing simultaneous transverse movement of the guide roller carriers and entry bells with respect to the pass center line of the guide, first means for interconnecting an end portion of one of the pair of roller carriers to an end portion of one of the pair of entry bells; and second means for interconnecting an end portion of the other roller carrier to an end portion of the other entry bell, the adjustment means including: a double threaded screw shaft; a pair of housings threadedly received on differently threaded portions of the screw shaft; and wherein the first and second interconnecting means are a pair of posts, each one affixed to one of the housings, each of the posts pivotally interconnecting a roller carrier with an entry bell.

8. A roller guide comprising: a frame; a pair of guide roller carriers; first pivot means pivotally mounting the guide roller carriers to the frame; a pair of entry bells; second pivot means spaced from the first pivot means for pivotally mounting the entry bells to the frame; a common adjusting means for causing the guide roller carriers and entry bells to pivot about the first and second pivot means respectively for setting the distance between each of the guide roller carriers and the distance between each of the entry bells; interconnecting means operatively associating the roller carriers and the entry bells with the adjusting means; and means cooperative between the frame and the adjusting means causing the adjusting means and interconnecting means to move transversely of the past center line of the guide.

11. A roller guide comprising: a base; a pair of guide roller carriers; means mounting the roller carriers to the base for movement toward and away from the base; rocker bar means pivotally disposed on the base for causing opposed movement of the roller carriers with respect to each other; and means for causing the pair of roller carriers to both move in the same direction toward and away from the base.

16. A roller guide comprising: a base; a first pair of posts mounted tO the base; a second pair of posts mounted to the base; a pair of guide roller carriers pivotally received on the first pair of posts; a pair of entry bells pivotally received on the second pair of posts; rollers mounted on the roller carriers and entry bells; a yoke received on the posts; a pair of posts, each pivotally interconnecting a roller carrier to an entry bell; and adjustment means received in the yoke and operatively engaging the interconnecting posts for causing the posts to move in opposed directions.

17. A roller guide according to claim 16 and further including a pair of guide bars extending between the rollers on the entry bells and the rollers on the roller carriers; means for shiftably mounting the guide bars to the roller carriers; means responsive to movement of the roller carriers and entry bells for shifting the guide bars; and means responsive to the shifting of the guide bars for moving the guide bars toward or away from the center line of the guide.

19. A roller guide according to claim 16 wherein the guide roller carriers are slideable on the mounting posts and interconnecting posts; a rocker bar is mounted on the base and engages the guide roller carriers; and a threaded pivot screw pivotally mounts the rocker bar to the base.

20. A roller guide for elongate stock comprising: a pair of opposed guide roller carriers; a first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting each of the guide roller carriers; a pair of opposed entry bells; a second pair of pivot means spaced from the first pair of pivot means for pivotally mounting each of the entry bells; a pair of guide bar means for guiding stock, the guide bar means extending between portions of the guide roller carriers and the entry bells; and means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bar means when the roller carriers and entry bells are caused to pivot about the first and second pivot means respectively.

21. A roller guide according to claim 20 wherein the means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bars includes means for shifting the guide bars in a direction parallel to the center line of the guide.

23. A roller guide according to claim 20 wherein the means for causing conjoint movement of the guide bars includes: means for shifting the guide bars in a direction parallel to the center line of the guide responsive to movement of the entry bells; and cam means engaged by the guide bars.