US3834203A

US3834203A - Straightening machine

Info

Publication number: US3834203A
Application number: US00310974A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Thompson
Original assignee: Sutton Engineering Co
Current assignee: Sutton Engineering Co
Priority date: 1972-11-30
Filing date: 1972-11-30
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10
Also published as: CA982460A

Abstract

The ends of a horizontal bar are secured to the spaced end housings of a straightening machine. Mounted on the bar are housings for two vertically spaced rows of rolls, the housings in the lower row alternating with the housings in the upper roll. During straightening, the housings for the upper rolls press upwardly on the bar while the housings for the lower rolls press downwardly on it.

Description

Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,834,203 Thompson Sept. 10, 1974 STRAIGHTENING MACHINE 3,492,852 2/1970 Perner 72/164 Ad 7 [75] Inventor: Elbert Gordon Thompson, State 362l693 11/1971 ams 2/164 College Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr Assigneei Sutton Engineering p y Attorney, Agent, or FirmBr0wn, Murray, Flick &

Pittsburgh, Pa. Peckham [22] Filed: Nov. 30, 1972 211 App]. No.2 310,974 [57] ABSTRACT The ends of a horizontal bar are secured to the spaced end housings of a straightening machine. Mounted on CCll. the bar are housings for two vertically Spaced rows of [58] d 160 163 rolls, the housings in the lower row alternating with le c the housings in the upper roll. During straightening, the housings for the upper rolls press upwardly on the [56] References cued bar while the housings for the lower rolls press down- UNITED STATES PATENTS wardly on it 2,720,243 10/1955 Siegerist 72/164 2,720,243 10/1955 Siegerist 72/164 x 3 Clams, 3 Drawmg Flgllres PAIENTEDSEPI DISH I r SHEET 30F 3v I STRAIGHTENING MACHINE It is among the objects of this invention to provide a straightening machine which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction; in which the housings for the upper and lower rolls are all mounted on a horizontal bar, and in which the roll housings can be adjusted individually along the bar.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view;

FIG. 2 is a side view with parts broken away in section; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 111-111 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a straightening machine for bars and rods has front and rear end housings 1 and 2 connected by a heavy support bar 3, the ends of which are rigidly mounted in the housings. The bar is shown round, but could have some other shape if desired. Mounted on this bar is a plurality of roll housings that carry the straightening rolls. One set of housings 4 carries a lower row of rolls 5, and the other set 6 carries an upper row of rolls 7 that are staggered relative to the lower rolls. The straightening pass is between the two rows. As shown in FIG. 3, each housing for a lower roll contains a rotatable shaft 9 supporting at its inner end a bevel gear 10 that meshes with another bevel gear 11 rotatably mounted in a gear box 12. The second gear is splined on a horizontal drive shaft 13, one end of which is joumaled in the front end housing 1. The opposite end of this shaft is rotatably mounted in a gear housing 14 where it is driven through reduction gears from an electrical motor 15 shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, all of the lower rolls are driven in unison from the drive shaft. The housings for the upper rolls also contain roll shafts 16, but they are not driven. However, these shafts can be adjusted axially in the usual way when desired.

The bottom of each lower roll housing 4 has a pair of parallel legs, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of which includes outer and inner

bottom clamping blocks

18 and 19 held in place by screws 20. The top of each outer block 18 and the housing above it are provided with semicircular recesses that form a circular opening receiving the support bar 3, which normally is clamped therein. Each inner block 19 is clamped against an inner support bar 21 parallel to outer bar 3 and likewise having its ends mounted in the end housings of the machine. Consequently, the lower roll housings are supported by the two parallel support bars.

The narrow lower end of each upper roll housing 6 likewise fits around support bars 3 and 21. Recessed clamping blocks 23 like

blocks

18 and 19 clamp the housing on the bars as shown in FIG. 2. The upper portion of each upper housing is considerably wider than its lower end and is provided with a window in which the upper roll support 24 is disposed and is slidable up and down. This support is in turn supported by a conventional screwdown mechanism 25 operated by a hand wheel 26 for adjusting the upper roll vertically in its housing. The back part of the top of each upper roll housing is provided with aligned transverse openings, through which extends an upper bar 27 that is parallel to the two lower support bars. The ends of this bar are mounted in the end housings of the machine. As shown in FIG. 3, the bar-receiving openings are formed by To permit the various roll housings to be spaced different distances apart to suit different straightening requirements, the two outer clamping blocks 18 of each lower roll housing are connected by bearingmembers 31 between them beneath support bar 3. A rotatable shaft 32 is journaled in these bearings and its inner end carries a gear 33 meshes with a rack bar 34 above it. The rack bar extends lengthwise of the machine, with its ends mounted in the end housings. The legs of each lower roll housing also are connected by a cross piece 35, to which are secured downward projecting guide members 36 that straddle and help support the rack bar but can slide along it. When the outer end of shaft 32 is turned by a crank or wrench 37 after screws 20 have been loosened, the rotating gear 33 will travel along the stationary rack bar and thereby slide the roll housing lengthwise of the machine along the support bars 3 and 21 to the desired position.

The upper roll housings likewise are adjustable lengthwise of the machine in the same general manner. Thus, a horizontal shaft 40 is rotatably mounted in the upper part of each upper housing and carries a gear 41 on is inner end. The gear meshes with the toothed bottom of a horizontal rack bar 42, the ends of which are rigidly mounted in the end housings. When the outer end of the shaft is turned by a wrench or the like after the bottom clamping blocks 23 and screws 29 at the top have been loosened, the gear moves along the rack bar to slide the housing along all three

bars

3, 21 and 27. Upper bar 27 serves more as a guide than a supporting bar.

The straightening machine construction described herein provides a simple and relatively easy way to adjust the roll housings relative to one another lengthwise of the machine. It also provides a simple and relatively inexpensive way to support the roll housings, since they are supported only by the three large bars that connect the end housings. Since both sets of roll housings, both upper and lower, are all mounted on the two lower support bars 3 and 21, the vertical stresses and strains that the housings exert on those bars during straightening operations are all absorbed by the bars themselves. The upward pull on the bars exerted by the upper housings is balanced by the downward push on the bars exerted by the lower housings. Since the housings are so close together, the tendency of these forces to put a wave in the bars is overcome. The construction of the straightening machine is greatly simplified, because its end housings are connected only by the three horizontal bars, and the strain put on the rolls and their housings during straightening are not transmitted by those bars to the end housings.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A straightening machine comprising spaced end housings, a horizontal support bar between said housings and secured thereto, two vertically spaced rows of rolls between the end housings, housings for said rolls mounted on said bar, the housings for the rolls in the lower row alternating with the housings for the rolls in the upper row, and the upper and lower rows of rolls forming a pass between them, whereby during straightening the housings for the upper rolls press upwardly on said bar while the housings for the lower rolls press downwardly on it, a second bar above and parallel to said support bar, and a third bar beside and parallel to said support bar, the ends of said second and third bars being secured to said end housings, both rows of rolls being disposed between said support bar and second bar, the housings for the upper row of rolls being lower row on all three bars, and the housings for the lowerrow of rolls being mounted on only said support bar and said third bar.

2. A straightening machine comprising spaced end housings, a horizontal support bar between said housings and secured thereto, two vertically spaced rows of rolls between the end housings, housings for said rolls mounted on said bar, the housings for the rolls in the lower row alternating with the housings for the rolls in the upper row, and the upper and lower rows of rolls forming a pass between them, whereby during straightening the housings for the upper rolls press upwardly on said bar while the housings for the lower rolls press downwardly on it, said roll housings being slidably mounted on said support bar to vary the spacing between them, two stationary rack bars extending lengthwise of the machine between the end housings, a rotatable shaft mounted in each roll housing, a gear on each shaft, the gears carried by the housings for the lower rolls meshing with one of said rack bars, the rest of said gears meshing with the other rack bar, and means for turning said shafts to adjust the roll housings along the bars.

3. A straightening machine comprising spaced end housings, a horizontal support bar between said housings and secured thereto, two vertically spaced rows of rolls between the end housings, parallel roll shafts carrying said rolls and extending therefrom across the top of the support bar, and housings rotatably supporting said roll shafts and mounted on said bar, the housings for the roll shafts in the lower roll alternating with the housings for the roll shafts in the upper row, and the upper and lower rows of rolls forming a pass between them, the housings for the upper roll shafts extending beneath the bottom of said bar in engagement therewith, and the housings for the lower roll shafts extending across the top of said bar in engagement therewith, whereby during straightening the housings for the upper roll shafts press upwardly on the bottom of said bar while the housings for the lower roll shafts press downwardly on the top of it.