GB2037644A - Coil breakaway apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for detaching individual strip coils 112 from a coil assembly 114 of sheet metal web material that has been partially slit along parallel lines to produce parting lines 116 containing frangible connections between adjacent coils, includes a mandrel adapted to enter the bore 115 of the assembly and comprising an anchor portion 124 for engaging the bore and a movable portion 126 axially spaced from the anchor portion and radially displaceable from the mandrel axis to apply a radial force to the coil to be detached, thereby breaking the connections to separate the coil. A fluid cylinder 135 displaces the portion 126 which comprises an assembly 150 expansible to engage the bore 115 uniformly and rotatable on a shaft portion 144 of the mandrel to allow unwinding of the severed coil. In an alternative embodiment the nose of the mandrel is the anchor portion and the body of the mandrel is radially displaceable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coil breakaway apparatus The present invention relates to a coil breakaway apparatus for detaching a wound coil from a construct which comprises a plurality of axially spaced coils interconnected by frangible connections.

In the manufacture of flat rolled metal, it is the practice to produce the web product with a greater width than is required by the end user and to subsequently slit the web into narrower strips of the desired lateral dimension. According to this practice, the metal web is coiled following rolling, after which, in a separate operation, the coiled web is placed on an uncoiler, unwound, trained through a slitting station and the so-produced strips rewound on the coiler as a number of separate coils.

An improved practice for the production of coiled strip is disclosed in United States Patent Application Serial Nos. 713,599,818,795 and 819,313, filed August 1976, July 1977 and July 1977 respectively and in British Patent Application No.

37892/76. Serial No. 1566741. According to this improved practice, following rolling of the metal, the web is slit along lines parallel to its edge in a manner that produces parting lines containing intermittently spaced tabs that interconnect the adjacent edges of the strips whereby, upon coiling, there results a construct containing a plurality of coils joined by frangible connections. It is contemplated that shipment and the majority of the handling operations will be undertaken with the construct intact. Thereafter, either at the point of use or at an intermediate station, the individual sheet metal strips can be detached from the construct as they are unwound therefrom, for example, when they are fed to a press or punch.

It is desirable, in some applications however, as for example, where strip is to be fed simultaneously to a number of separate process machines, to sever the respective strips from the construct as wound coil units in order to facilitate handling of the material. Although apparatus for separating connected rolls of paper or other light sheet materials are well known, such apparatus have size and force-producing limitations as to prevent their use on sheet metal product as contemplated in these applications where a coil construct may weigh over ten tons (9 tonnes) and be upwards of four feet 1122 cm) in diameter and where an individual coil in the construct weighs upwards of four hundred pounds per inch (71 kg per cm) of width.In these applica tions, moreover, forces as great as 10,000 pounds (4.5 tonnes) are required to simultaneously fracture all of the tacks connecting an individual coil to its neighbour in the construct.

It is toward the provision of such apparatus, therefore, that the present invention is directed.

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for detaching a wound coil from a construct which comprises a plurality of axially spaced coils interconnected by frangible connections, the apparatus comprising a mandrel for introduction into a central opening in the construct, the mandrel having an anchor for engaging the surface of said construct within said central opening and a movable member axially spaced from the anchor and radially displaceable from the axis of the mandrel to impart a radial force against the surface of said opening sufficient to fracture the interconnections between adjacent coils of the construct.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable member is rotatably mounted to permit rotation of the detached coil following fracture of the interconnections.

The invention is further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a coil breakaway apparatus constructed according to a first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 1-1 of Figure 3; Figure 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 3; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken from the left hand end thereof; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a partial elevational view of the mandrel assembly according to the present invention in anchor engagement with a coil construct; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 illustrating the mandrel assembly following detachment of a coil from the construct;; Figure 8 is an elevational section of apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 8; Figure 11 is a partial elevational section of the apparatus of Figure 8 illustrating the operative parts thereof at an intermediate step of the operationai process; and Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 illustrating the operative parts of the apparatus following detachment of a coil from the construct.

In Figures 1 to 7 there is shown apparatus 10 operative to separate coils 12 from a construct 14 of wound sheet metal web material. The construct 14 is of a type described in British Patent Application No.

37892/76 (Serial No.1566741) (J.W. Rogers) in which the construct is formed of wound sheet metal web material having a plurality of laterally spaced parting lines 16 in the surface thereof defining frangibly interconnected coiled strips therebetween. The parting lines 16 contain intermittently spaced tabs (not shown) formed of residual web material bridging the interstice between adjacent strips and forming the connections between the coils 12. The construct 14 is wound with the parting lines 16 disposed in substantial coplanar or radially aligned relation such that individual strips can be detached as wound coils 12 by the concurrent fracture of the connecting tabs disposed along the respective parting lines.

The coil separating apparatus 10 is operative to fracture the connecting tabs of a construct and comprises an upstanding frame 20 supported on a transverse base member 22. A pair of oppositely spaced horizontal legs 24, 26 extend forwardly of the transverse member 22 in straddling relation to the construct 14 and comprise the remainder of the apparatus base. Wheels 28 and 30 disposed outboard of the free ends of the legs 24 and 26 respectively in axle-supporting brackets 32, together with a third wheel 34 attached in a swivel mount 36 rearwardly of the frame 20, impart mobility to the apparatus.

The frame 20 includes a pair of oppositely spaced columns 38 and 40 bottom supported on the transverse base member 22 and interconnected at the top by top plate 42. The columns 38 and 40 are provided on their facing surfaces respectively with spaced angles 44 and 46 defining vertical tracks 52. Each of the tracks 52 may be provided with wear plates 56 as shown.

A carriage, indicated generally as 58, is arranged for vertical movement, up and down in the tracks 52.

It includes a pair of oppositely spaced vertical braces 60, 62 interconnected at the top by brace 64. Vertical braces 60, 62 are each apertured at vertically spaced locations to mount vertically spaced fixed axles 68 and 70 whose respective opposite ends mount free-running wheels 72 arranged to run in the respective tracks 52. The carriage 58 is powered in the up and down direction as hereinafter explained by a double-acting fluid motor 73 including an upstanding cylinder 74 bottom supported on the transverse base member 22 and having a movable ram 75 connected to the carriage top brace 64.

The carriage 58 mounts the mandrel assembly 76 which extends forwardly therefrom parallel to, and substantially equidistantly spaced between, the legs 24 and 26. The mandrel assembly 76 includes a pair of oppositely spaced support beams 78, 80 attached at one end to the carriage 58. At their free ends the beams 78 and 80 mount a nose-anchor 82 having a generally cylindrical base 84 and a frusto-conically formed leading end 86. Closely adjacent the rear end of nose-anchor base 84 and separated therefrom by a space 77 is a vertically movable member 88, the displacement of which is operative to concurrently fracture the tabs in a parting line 16 by imparting, in cooperation with the nose-anchor 82 oppositely directed forces against the interior surface of the axial opening of the construct on opposite sides of the selected parting line.As shown best in Figure 2 the member 88 is C-shaped in section having generally cylindrical exterior surface 90. The member 88 is attached to a pad 92 on the end of piston 94 of a double-acting fluid motor cylinder 96 that is fixedly attached between the mandrel beams 78 and 80. The terminal end edges 98 of the member 88 are caused to engage plates 100 on the respective beams to guide the vertical movement of the member.

A mounting plate 104 is attached to the rear face of the frame 20 and serves to mount two hydraulic actuating pumps 106 and 108 that connect each with one of the fluid motors 73 and 96 respectively by means of connecting lines (not shown). Each actuating pump includes a manually operated pump handle 110 for supplying fluid to the respective motors and directional valve 112 for selectively pumping the respective pistons in the upward or downward direction.

Handles 114 are provided adjacent the upper end of the frame 20 to enable the apparatus to be manually manipulated with respect to the construct 14for operatively locating the device with respect thereto, as hereinafter described.

The apparatus 10 is arranged to operate on a sheet metal coil construct 14 that rests on a floor with the construct axis horizontally disposed thereby exposing the ends of the axial opening, indicated as 15 in the drawing, for reception of the mandrel assembly 76. Thus, the apparatus 10 is manually manipulated until the mandrel assembly 76 enters the construct opening 15 to an extent such that the nose-anchor 82 is disposed on one side of the selected parting line 16 and the member 88 disposed on the other side thereof. For centering purposes the exterior surface 90 of the member 88 may be etched with a graduated scale 93 to locate the space 77 between the member 88 and the nose-anchor 82 in alignment with the selected construct parting line 16.

Following this, and with the directional valve 112 of actuating pump 106 properly disposed, the associated pump handle 110 is manipulated to pass operating fluid to motor 73 thereby forcing carriage 58 downwardly and causing nose-anchor 82 to apply a downward force against the interior surface of the construct, anchoring the construct with respect to the floor as shown in Figure 6. Thereafter, with the directional valve 112 of actuating pump 108 properly disposed, the associated pump handle 110 is operated to pass operating fluid to the fluid motor 96.

This operation causes member 88 to rise and impart an upward force against the inner surface of the coil 12 to be removed. Pumping continues until the upward force generated is sufficient to fracture the tabs connecting the coil 12 to the construct 14 thereby separating the coil from the construct as shown in Figure 7.

Following separation of the coil valve 112 associated with actuating pump 106 is reversed and the associated pump 110 operated to raise the carriage 58 and nose-anchor 82 releasing the apparatus 10 from the construct 14 whereupon it can be withdrawn therefrom carrying the separated coil 12.

The apparatus 110 shown in Figures 8to 12 has an upstanding pedestal 118, floor-supported by a pair of oppositely spaced legs 120 and 122 that extend forwardly from the fact of the pedestal at the bottom thereof.

A mandrel comprising a cylindrical tubular anchor member 124 is attached at one end, as by welding, to the face of the pedestal 118. The mandrel 124 extends forwardly from the pedestal 118 parallel to, and substantially equidistantly spaced between the legs 120 and 122. Its diameter is such as to be freely received within the axial opening 115 through the construct 1 thereby to support the construct in an elevated position above the floor.

The free end of the mandrel also has a movable member designated generally as 126 in the drawings, adapted for vertical movement with respect to the support axis. This assembly 126 includes a body 128 generally rectangular in section and having a pair of longitudinally spaced, vertically extending clearance openings 130 adapted to slidingly engage pins 132 that extend diametrically across the tubular member 124 and attaching at opposite ends thereto.

The body 128 contains a central recess 134 to accommodate a fluid motor 135 consisting of cylinder 136 and piston 138, the former being fixed to the interior surface of the member 124 through mounting pad 140 and the latter being threadedly attached to the body 128 in opening 142.

The forwardly facing side of the body 128 carries an integrally formed shaft 144, the outer end portion 146 of which is threaded. Intermediate the threaded portion 146 and the facing side of the body 128 the shaft is formed as a cylindrical bearing surface 148.

Rotatably supported on the bearing surface 148 on shaft 144 is an expander assembly comprising a cylindrical hub 152 having a bushing 154 retained therein to journal the assembly for rotation on the shaft. A plurality of radially extending pins 156 here shown as four in number are attached to the hub 152 at circumferentially spaced points thereabout. Each of the pins 156 guidingly receives an expander segment 158 through an opening 160 therein for radial in and out movement as hereinafter described.

Each expander segment 158 comprises a body having an arcuate outer surface 162 adapted to engage the facing surface of the axial opening 115 of the construct 114 when expanded. Its leading end is inturned, as shown at 164 to cooperatively form with the leading ends of the other segments a generally conical surface to facilitate reception of the construct onto the mandrel. The rear ends of the segments 158 are spaced, as at 66, slightly forwardly of the free end of the member 124 to provide a clearance space between the rotatable expander 150 and the member 124.

The underside of each segment 158 is formed with an arcuate tapered surface 168 for engagement with the cooperating conical surface 170 of expander sleeve 172. A T-slot 174 is provided in the segment surface 168 for reception of an associated T-bar 176, four of which are integrally formed at circumferentially spaced points about the surface of the sleeve 172. The sleeve 172 contains a clearance opening 178 for reception over the threaded portion 146 of the shaft 144 and is moved inwardly and outwardly along the shaft by means of an operating nut 180 that is threadedly received thereon.

It will be appreciated from examination of Figure 8 of the drawings that the position of the shaft 144 on the body 128 is such that, with the piston 138 in its fully retracted position and the upper surface of the body 128 in abutment with the motor mounting pad 140, the shaft axis 145 is vertically displaced downwardly from the axis 125 of support 124 by an amount substantially equal to the clearance space, here indicated as 181, between the interior of the construct opening 115 and the external surface of the tubular member 24. This dimensional relationship is necessary in order to permit the expander segments 158 to uniformly engage the construct about the circumference of the opening 115.

The apparatus includes a construct positioning motor 182 mounted by bracket 183 at the rearofthe pedestal 118 including a fluid operated cylinder 184 and ram 186, the leading end of which mounts a pusher plate 188. The motor 182 operates to move the construct 114 along the mandrel so as to dispose successive coils 112 in position for detachment as hereinafter described.

The operation of the apparatus 110 is as follows.

With the piston 138 in its retracted position to position the body 128 in abutment with the cylinder mounting pad 140 and the operating nut 180 of expander assembly 150 in its withdrawn position, as shown in Figure 8, the expander segments 158 are disposed in their retracted position and the apparatus is in readiness for reception of a construct 114.

The construct 114 is inserted onto the mandrel into abutment with the pusher plate 188. Thereafter, the positioning motor 182 is actuated to push the construct 114 forwardly until its forward end is placed in position on a positional mark 190, etched or otherwise provided on the exterior surface of the segments 158. This locates the parting line 116 adjacent to the endmost coil 112 in alignment with the space 166 between the expander assembly 150 and the free end of the member 24. Next, the expander operator nut 180 is threaded inwardly to expand the segments 158 into tight engagement with the surface of the construct opening 115 as shown in Figure 11. Following this the motor 135 is actuated to extend the piston 136 and move the body 128 downwardly thereby displacing the assembly 126 as shown in Figure 12.This movement of the assembly 126 generates sufficient force to effect fracture of the tabs in the affected parting line 116 substantially concurrently thereby detaching the engaged coil 112 from the construct 114. With the coil 112 detached from the construct 114 the expander assembly 150 is free to rotate on the shaft 144 whereby the sheet metal strip contained therein can be dispensed by unwinding to a tool or other process apparatus.

It will be appreciated that, besides providing means for effectively detaching individual coils from a wound construct in a manner that requires a minimum of manual effort and that avoids the danger of marring the resultant sheet metal strip product, the described apparatus is adapted, following separation of the coil from the construct, to operate as an uncoiler reel whereby the resultant strip product can be unwound and fed directly to the tool without need for an intermediate coil transfer step. Elimination of this intermediate step concomitantly results in a reduction in the time, effort and expense required to effect processing of the work product thus rendering the overall processing procedure more efficient.

Claims (15)

1. An apparatus for detaching a wound coil from a construct which comprises a plurality of axially spaced coils interconnected by frangible connections, the apparatus comprising a mandrel for introduction into a central opening in the construct, the mandrel having an anchor for engaging the surface of said construct within said central opening and a movable member axially spaced from the anchor and radially displaceable from the axis of the mandrel to impart a radial force against the surface of said opening sufficient to fracture the interconnections between adjacent coils of the construct.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a fluid motor mounted on said mandrel and operatively connected to said movable member for displacing the same with respect to said mandrel axis.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the mandrel projects from a frame and is vertically movable with respect to the frame.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the mandrel is mounted on a carriage which is movable in a vertically extending guide track of the frame.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including a fluid motor connected between the carriage and the frame for moving the carriage along the guide track.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the anchor is a substantially cylindrical member at the free end of a structural support of the mandrel and said movable member is a hollow part-cylindrical member having a generally Cshaped cross-section straddling said support, and in which said motor is connected between said support and said movable member for imparting said radial displacement.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said movable member is rotatably mounted to permit rotation of the detached coil following fracture of said interconnections.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said movable member includes a plurality of segments and means for expanding said segments radially into engagement with the coil to be detached.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said expanding means comprises a shaft on which said segments are journalled for rotation, a sleeve disposed on said shaft and having an inclined surface cooperating with inclined surfaces on said segments for expanding and retracting said segments in response to axial movement of said sleeve, and means for moving said sleeve axially of said shaft.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said means for moving comprises a nut threadedly received on a screw-threaded portion of the shaft.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 in which said segments are guided on pins extending radially from a hub rotatably mounted on said shaft.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 in which said segments are secured to the sleeve by a T-bar and slot connection between each of said segments and the sleeve.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12 including means operative to move a construct longitudinally along the mandrel.

14. An apparatus for detaching a wound coil from a construct, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

15. An apparatus for detaching a wound coil from a construct, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 8 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.