US3737114A

US3737114A - Roll changing device for a strip accumulator

Info

Publication number: US3737114A
Application number: US00197778A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Somerhalder
Original assignee: Wean United Inc
Current assignee: Wean United Inc
Priority date: 1971-11-11
Filing date: 1971-11-11
Publication date: 1973-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-05

Abstract

The disclosure of this invention relates to a device for removing and replacing the rolls of a rotary strip accumulator. The device comprises a roll supporting arm cantileverly mounted to a frame which arm is adapted to be positioned to protrude into the center of the accumulator and be adjusted both radially and angularly so that a roll to be replaced can be attached to the arm and removed by moving the frame away from the accumulator.

Description

United States Patent [191 Somerhalder 51 June 5,1973

[54] ROLL CHANGING DEVICE FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR [75] Inventor: Robert Alfred Somerhalder, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73} Assignee: Wean United, Inc.,- Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Nov. 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 197,778

[52] US. Cl ..242/79, 214/DIG. 4, 242/58.6 [51] Int. Cl. ..B2lc 47/24, B65h 19/30 [58] Field of Search ..242/79, 58.6, 58.2;

214/] Q, l R, 1 BD, I BV, DIG. 3, DIG. 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,802,586 8/1957 Wingard ..242/79 X 3 1970 Wagner ..214 1 BD 3 1970 Scordato ..242/58.6

Primary ExaminerGeorge F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy AttorneyHenry C. Westin [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure of this invention relates to a device for removing and replacing the rolls of a rotary strip accumulator. The device comprises a roll supporting arm cantileverly mounted to a frame which arin is adapted to be positioned to protrude into the center of the accumulator and be adjusted both radially and angularly so that a roll to be replaced can be attached to the arm and removed by moving the frame away from the accumulator.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJuu 5 1975 SHEET 1 BF 3 ROLL CHANGING DEVICE FOR A STRIP ACCUMULATOR In strip accumulators, for example the type illustrated in copending U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. l69,l92 filed Aug. 5, I971, considerable downtime is experienced in installing and removing the rolls.

The rolls make up inner and outer baskets between which the strip to be accumulated is fed and collected. Each basket may be formed of 21 or more individual rolls, in which it is the object of the present invention to provide a roll changing apparatus that will enable the rolls to be changed quickly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a roll changing apparatus for removing and replacing the rolls of a strip accumulator, in which there is provided a frame, a means for positioning the frame adjacent to the strip accumulator, said apparatus, including a roll carrying means supported by the frame, means carried by the frame for rotating said roll carrying means relative to the frame, and other means carried by the frame for moving the roll carrying means radially.

These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a roll changing apparatus constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 looking from left to right thereof; and

FIG. 3 is an end view looking from the right to left of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Two of the rolls l and 11 of a strip accumulator which the present invention is designed to remove and replace are shown in phantom in FIG. 2 along with their

bearing chock assemblies

13 and 14, respectively. Also shown in phantom in FIG. 2 is part of the frame 15 of the strip accumulator. The roll represents one of the inner basket rolls and the roll 11 one of the outer basket rolls of the strip accumulator. The axes of these two rolls are arranged in the same radial plane and are free to move relative to each other during operation of the accumulator, in which the journals of the roll 10 are carried in identical bearing chocks 13; whereas, the journals of the roll 11 pass through slots formed in the bearing chocks 13 and are supported independently thereof by bearing chocks 14. The bearing chocks are carried by the frame 15 by individual jacks, not shown.

The aforesaid patent application Ser. No. 169,192 shows the specific construction of the strip accumulator including the plurality of rolls that make up the inner and outer roll baskets in which rolls 10 and 11 constitute but one cooperative pair thereof. A hearing chock 17 with its roll of a second inner and diametrically opposite roll is shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

The present invention, as noted before, relates to an apparatus that will allow the rolls, together with their bearing chocks, to be quickly inserted-removed-and reinserted into the accumulator and, more particularly, into the frame 15. In FIG. 1 the circular member 16 consists of part of the frame 15.

In describing the apparatus reference will be first made to FIGS. 1 and 2. The roll changing apparatus comprises an upright stand 20 having four openings at its base to receive pins 21. The pins which are permanently mounted in front of the strip accumulator have slots to receive wedges 22 that lock the stand 20 in a proper operative position in front of the strip accumulator. At the top of the stand 20 an horizontal shaft 24 is rotatably mounted by means of bearings 26 and adapted to overhang the inner side of the stand. Through the overhung portion of the shaft 24, there is secured a vertical frame 28 that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, take a generally rectangular form and which rotates with the shaft 24. The shaft 24 is rotated through 360 degrees by a hand wheel 30 which is carried by the stand 20 by being connected to a gear reducer 31 which drives a pinion 32 and a meshing gear 33, the latter being secured to the shaft 24. Associated with the outside face of the gear 33 is a dial 35 and a pointer 36. Associated with the frame 28 is a rotatable locking pin 37 which includes a handle 37a and a spring 37b received in a housing having a slot for receiving a second pin 37c. The spring is arranged to urge the pin 37 towards the left, as one views FIG. 2, and will displace the pin 37 in this direction when the pin 370 is rotated so as not to be in its locking position. The frame 28 has a series of openings 37d in its outside face, one for each cooperative pair of inner and outer rolls 10 and 11; FIG. 1 only indicating a few of the openings 37d.

On the inside face of the frame 28 there is mounted on the frame a column 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a vertical position. The column is adapted to slidably carry a roll carrying beam 39 arranged to project in cantilever fashion from the column 38. As shown in FIG. 3 the end of the beam 39 adjacent the column 38 takes the form of a crucifix for the purpose of giving strength and stability through the overhanging beam. The overhung portion of the beam 39 is tubular in shape to which there is secured at its opposite ends bearing

chock carrying pads

42 and 43. The pads are made so as to receive bolts passing through the chocks for the purpose of securing a roll assembly to the beam 39 which relationship is illustrated in FIG. 2 with respect to both the

bearing chocks

13 and 14 of the rolls 10 and 11, respectively.

The beam 39 is movable radially of theaxis of the shaft 24 by moving the beam over the column 38. This is accomplished by connecting the opposite ends of a flexible chain 45 to the beam, as shown in FIG. 3, the two connections being made at46 and 47'. The chain 45 passes over two

sprockets

49 and 50 carried by the frame 28. The sprocket 49 is drivenby a gear reducer unit 52 and electrical motor 53; these units being mounted on one end of and carried by the frame 28.

In employing the apparatus above described to remove rolls from a strip accumulator, say for example, the rolls 10 and 11, the stand 20 is brought to a position in front of the frame 15 of the accumulator and set over the pins 21 and locked in place by the wedges 22. In this position the beam 39 will project into the accumulator. It should be noted in this regard that before the stand 20 is brought to the accumulator, the accumulator must be made ready for the removal of the rolls, which will include the removal of certain elements and the making of adjustments and positioning of certain parts, including the rolls themselves. It should also be noted that in the particular construction of the accumulator to which the rolls l0 and 11 are associated, the rolls are individually removed and the inner roll 10 of a cooperative pair with its bearing chocks is removed first.

Once the stand is properly positioned, an electrical connection can be made for the motor 53. The beam 39 is first adjusted by rotation of the hand wheel 30 to place the beam in the proper angular position with respect to the particular roll to be removed, it being noted that the beam is always inserted into and removed from the accumulator, which is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2 and designated by the reference nu; meral 55, in a predetermined position. The desired angular position of the beam for a given roll can be obtained by the operator by rotation of the hand wheel 30 until the pointer 36 is brought to the designation of the dial 35 that represents the particular roll to be removed and inserting the locking pin 37 on one of the openings 37d. After this, the beam 39 is moved radially by operation of the motor 53 to place the

pads

42 and 43 adjacent to and in contact with the bearing chocks 13 of the roll 10. The checks are then secured to the pads by bolts and the beam 39 is retracted radially by an operation of motor 53 and then rotated to the proper removal position by operation of the hand wheel 30. This position will be also indicated to the operator by the pointer 36 with reference to the dial 35.

As noted before, it is first necessary to remove the cooperative inner roll before the cooperative outer I claim:

1. In an apparatus for removing from and replacing into a strip accumulator or the like a roll thereof comprising:

a frame,

means for positioning said frame in a roll handling position with respect to said accumulator,

roll carrying means supported by said frame,

a support member horizontally and rotatably supported by a portion of said frame for rotating said roll carrying means relative to said frame about an axis parallel to the axis of said carrying means,

a guide rod carried by said support member and arranged perpendicularly to a plane containing the axis of rotation of said roll carrying means for moving said roll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation, and

means for connecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod.

2. In an apparatus according to claim 1 including power means carried by said support member connected to said roll carrying means for adjusting said roll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation.

3. In an apparatus according to claim 1 including means for cantileverly connecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod in a manner that said roll carrying means projects perpendicularly therefrom.

4. In a strip accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said roll carrying means include a surface arranged to be engaged by a roll to be handled.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said support member includes a hand wheel.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for removing from and replacing into a strip accumulator or the like a roll thereof comprising: a frame, means for positioning said frame in a roll handling position with respect to said accumulator, roll carrying means supported by said frame, a support member horizontally and rotatably supported by a portion of said frame for rotating said roll carrying means relative to said frame about an axis parallel to the axis of said carrying means, a guide rod carried by said support member and arranged perpendicularly to a plane containing the axis of rotation of said roll carrying means for moving said roll carrying means radially relative to said axis of rotation, and means for connecting said roll carrying means to said guide rod.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said support member includes a hand wheel. bearing chock assemblies 13 and 14, respectively. Also shown in phantom in FIG. 2 is part of the frame 15 of the strip accumulator. The roll 10 represents one of the inner basket rolls and the roll 11 one of the outer basket rolls of the strip accumulator. The axes of these two rolls are arranged in the same radial plane and are free to move relative to each other during operation of the accumulator, in which the journals of the roll 10 are carried in identical bearing chocks 13; whereas, the journals of the roll 11 pass through slots formed in the bearing chocks 13 and are supported independentLy thereof by bearing chocks 14. The bearing chocks are carried by the frame 15 by individual jacks, not shown. The aforesaid patent application Ser. No. 169,192 shows the specific construction of the strip accumulator including the plurality of rolls that make up the inner and outer roll baskets in which rolls 10 and 11 constitute but one cooperative pair thereof. A bearing chock 17 with its roll of a second inner and diametrically opposite roll is shown in phantom in FIG. 2. The present invention, as noted before, relates to an apparatus that will allow the rolls, together with their bearing chocks, to be quickly inserted-removed-and reinserted into the accumulator and, more particularly, into the frame 15. In FIG. 1 the circular member 16 consists of part of the frame 15. In describing the apparatus reference will be first made to FIGS. 1 and 2. The roll changing apparatus comprises an upright stand 20 having four openings at its base to receive pins 21. The pins which are permanently mounted in front of the strip accumulator have slots to receive wedges 22 that lock the strand 20 in a proper operative position in front of the strip accumulator. At the top of the stand 20 an horizontal shaft 24 is rotatably mounted by means of bearings 26 and adapted to overhang the inner side of the stand. Through the overhung portion of the shaft 24, there is secured a vertical frame 28 that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, take a generally rectangular form and which rotates with the shaft 24. The shaft 24 is rotated through 360 degrees by a hand wheel 30 which is carried by the stand 20 by being connected to a gear reducer 31 which drives a pinion 32 and a meshing gear 33, the latter being secured to the shaft 24. Associated with the outside face of the gear 33 is a dial 35 and a pointer 36. Associated with the frame 28 is a rotatable locking pin 37 which includes a handle 37a and a spring 37b received in a housing having a slot for receiving a second pin 37c. The spring is arranged to urge the pin 37 towards the left, as one views FIG. 2, and will displace the pin 37 in this direction when the pin 37c is rotated so as not to be in its locking position. The frame 28 has a series of openings 37d in its outside face, one for each cooperative pair of inner and outer rolls 10 and 11; FIG. 1 only indicating a few of the openings 37d. On the inside face of the frame 28 there is mounted on the frame a column 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a vertical position. The column is adapted to slidably carry a roll carrying beam 39 arranged to project in cantilever fashion from the column 38. As shown in FIG. 3 the end of the beam 39 adjacent the column 38 takes the form of a crucifix for the purpose of giving strength and stability through the overhanging beam. The overhung portion of the beam 39 is tubular in shape to which there is secured at its opposite ends bearing chock carrying pads 42 and 43. The pads are made so as to receive bolts passing through the chocks for the purpose of securing a roll assembly to the beam 39 which relationship is illustrated in FIG. 2 with respect to both the bearing chocks 13 and 14 of the rolls 10 and 11, respectively. The beam 39 is movable radially of the axis of the shaft 24 by moving the beam over the column 38. This is accomplished by connecting the opposite ends of a flexible chain 45 to the beam, as shown in FIG. 3, the two connections being made at 46 and 47. The chain 45 passes over two sprockets 49 and 50 carried by the frame 28. The sprocket 49 is driven by a gear reducer unit 52 and electrical motor 53; these units being mounted on one end of and carried by the frame 28. In employing the apparatus above described to remove rolls from a strip accumulator, say for example, the rolls 10 and 11, the stand 20 is brought to a position in front of the frame 15 of the accumulator and set over the pins 21 and locked in place by The wedges 22. In this position the beam 39 will project into the accumulator. It should be noted in this regard that before the stand 20 is brought to the accumulator, the accumulator must be made ready for the removal of the rolls, which will include the removal of certain elements and the making of adjustments and positioning of certain parts, including the rolls themselves. It should also be noted that in the particular construction of the accumulator to which the rolls 10 and 11 are associated, the rolls are individually removed and the inner roll 10 of a cooperative pair with its bearing chocks is removed first. Once the stand is properly positioned, an electrical connection can be made for the motor 53. The beam 39 is first adjusted by rotation of the hand wheel 30 to place the beam in the proper angular position with respect to the particular roll to be removed, it being noted that the beam is always inserted into and removed from the accumulator, which is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2 and designated by the reference numeral 55, in a predetermined position. The desired angular position of the beam for a given roll can be obtained by the operator by rotation of the hand wheel 30 until the pointer 36 is brought to the designation of the dial 35 that represents the particular roll to be removed and inserting the locking pin 37 on one of the openings 37d. After this, the beam 39 is moved radially by operation of the motor 53 to place the pads 42 and 43 adjacent to and in contact with the bearing chocks 13 of the roll 10. The chocks are then secured to the pads by bolts and the beam 39 is retracted radially by an operation of motor 53 and then rotated to the proper removal position by operation of the hand wheel 30. This position will be also indicated to the operator by the pointer 36 with reference to the dial 35. As noted before, it is first necessary to remove the cooperative inner roll 10 before the cooperative outer roll 11 is removed which is removed in a manner similar to what was described in connection with the roll 10. In replacing the rolls the operation and movement of the beam 39 is the same as explained for removing the rolls. The roll 11, however, is inserted into the accumulator first, followed by the outer cooperative roll 10. In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. I claim: