US2326079A - Apparatus for supplying strip - Google Patents

Description

Augf 3, 1943. E. R TYRRELL 2,326,079

ABPARATUS FOR SUPLYING STRIP Filed I eb. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l u nu HU L a u: Y

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APPARATUS FOR S'UPPLYING STRIP Filed Feb. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nl [En n W uw 'um lllllll Illlllll II'II 1|||b Irl HH I||||| gg Ilm 'IIIII fill;

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'Q' l Y Q t0 .y s i l Y m Patented Aug. 3, 1943 l APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING STRIP Emmet R. Tyrrell, Youngstown, Ohio, assignoi' to Fessler Machine Company, Sharon, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 18,v 1941, Serial No. 379,446

16 Claims.

strip or the devices. It is. desirable that the strip uncoiling mechanism which supplies the strip to the various production Aor utilization machines and/or lines be capable of operating smoothly and at high speeds without danger of injury to the strip or the equipment involved and it `is accordingly the primary object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism having these desirable characteristics. This improvement is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by employing an expansible mandrel which rotates about a rigidly fixed axis and,

which is operative to forcibly engage the inner periphery of the coil thereby concentrically supporting the coil during the uncoiling thereof. This support also prevents weaving and chatteremployed and the desired reduction is obtained in one pass through the mill. Under present practice, tension is eiiected in the strip between the succeeding stands by proper control of the speed of rotation of the rolls in the succeeding stands and tension in the strip as it leaves the last stand is effected by coiling the strip on a power driven mandrel. In either type of mill, a substantial portion of the reduction eii'ected may be attributed to the back tension placed in the strip before the strip enters the respective stands of rolls. Without back tension, the reduction is less while the power required on the.

rolls of the mills is greater.

Under the present practice in reversing mill operation, the strip is fed to the mill from an uncoiler from where the strip first extends over the adjacent tensioning mandrel, without` necessarily' being in engagement with such mandrel,

ing of the coil and looping of the strip as it leaves the coil thereby substantially eliminating any possibility of damage to the side edges of the strip or any probability of surface cracks or checks appearing in the strip. The expansion of the mandrel is=accomplished by. power means under remote control and, in addition, controllable power means is provided to rotate the mandrel and consequently the coil held thereon. The latter means includes an overrunning clutch to allow the coil to be rotated at high speeds by tension eifected in the vstrip by a rolling mill or other apparatus to which the strip is supplied.

A principal use to which strip uncoilers are put in the steel industry is the uncoiling of strip -before'the four high mills in thecold rolling of strip to supply the strip to such mills. In the reversing milla tensioning mandrel or drum is positioned on either side of a. single four high stand and the strip run back and forth. being coiled onto one' drum while being uncoiled from the other drum and vice versa and during the rolling process, the tension in the stripl before and after the mill as well as the roll pressure are accurately controlled to effect a desired result in the rolling operation. In the tandem mill, a

plurality. normally four, of four high stands are thence through the rolls of the mill and is finally wound around the tensioning mandrel on the far side of the mill. Even though roll pressure'and front tension be applied during this pass the reduction is slight, due to the absence of back tension. In accordance with my invention, I propose to apply back tension in the'strip during this initial pass and this is accomplished by so constructing the uncoiler that the same will have suiiicient structural strength and an inherent retarding or breaking mechanism to effect the required back tension in the strip. Thus the efficiency of operation of the mill is materially increased which fact should become apparent when it is considered that the total rolling process may consist of but six or eightv passes through the mill and that by rendering one of the passes effective which heretofore has been substantially ineffective the total number of passes may be reduced or a correspondingly greater reduction may be effected in the same number of passes. Thus to make the same product the mill time may be reduced from ve to ten per cent thereby effecting substantial economies in the operation of the mill.

In present tandem mill practice employing, for example, four stands, the operation of the rst stand is ineicient due to the absence of suicient back tension in the strip with relation to the stand and in normal cases .the deficiency of reduction may amount to 5/3 or more. By employing the'uncoiling apparatus of my invention and the mill layout and practice taught herein to supply strip to the tandem mill it is possible to bring the eiciency of the iirst stand up to of its capacity and it should be obvious that this in slitting and trimming lines, etc.

will substantially increase the overall economy of operation of the plant.

It is therefore a further object of the invention to provide an improved cold mill layout whereby the eiciency of practical operation of such mills will be materially increased.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved assembly for uncoiling and supplying strip to apparatus acting on said strip and to effect desired back tensioning in the strip as it enters the apparatus. Back vtensioning is advantageous in rolling operations as explained above and similarly, but to a much less extent,

For the purpose of accomplishing this object of the invention there is provided the combination of a strip uncoiler of special design and a roller leveller so constructed and arranged in relation to the uncoiler that in addition to the uncoiling and levelling or working functions of these elements controllable and adequate back tensioning in the strip supplied may be effected by retarding forces distributed betweenl the leveller and uncoiler. In this manner the assembly is made capable of wide applicability and the assembled machine elements are utilized more fully and more eiiiciently than has heretofore been suggested.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification and the accompanying drawings wherein there is specically disclosed a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention and a teaching of a desired manner of use of the apparatus.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

riphery 36 and three or more radially extending guide-ways 31 each` of which is adapted to slide- 'ably receive a block 38 having an integral outwardly extending jaw 39. A radially extending threaded shaft 40 has screw threaded engagement with each of the blocks 38 and keyed to the 'inner end of each of the shafts 4|] is a bevel gear 4I housed within the hollow hub 32. Journaled in the pedestal I2 and extending concentrically through the hollow shaft 33 is a shaft 42 carrying a bevel gear 43 in mesh with each of the three or more gears 4|. Shaft 42 is driven by a combined motor and speed reducer assembly 45 through a magnetic clutch 46 and gears 41, 48, and 49.

Positioned centrally .below the chucks I1 is a hydraulic lift cylinder 5B having a concaved plate 5| at its upper end to engage and lift a coil of strip into a position wherein the axis of the coil is substantially coincidentwith the axis of rotation of the chuck I1. 'I'he mechanism supported by pedestal is identical with the mechanism described specifically '1n connection with Figure 2 with the exception that the power means 34, to rotate the chuck is omitted. About the peripheral surface 36 of the disk 3| carried by pedestal is a brake band 53 opery ated by an air cylinder 54 carried by the pedes- Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the expansible coil supporting l and rotating chuck assemblies of the apparatus `slideably mounted for movement toward and away from each other a pair of pedestals I and I2 each of which is provided with a downwardly extending lug I3. Lugs I3 are in screw threaded .'tal Means, not shown, is attached to the pedestal to restrain rotative movement of the brake band 53.

In operation, with the chucks I1 spaced apart a coil |8 may be lowered into position between the chucks and on the lift 5| and by actuation of cylinderv50 the coil is brought into horizontal alignment with the chucks |1. By

v properly energizing motor I6 the pedestal I I and I2 and consequently chucks I1 are moved toward each other with the jaws 39 entering in the center opening of the coil and the disks 3| brought into proximity withv -the side edges of engagement with screws I4 and I5 which are arranged to be rotated by a motor I6 and when motor` I6 is energizedv for rotation in one direction the pedestals Il and I2 simultaneously move toward each other and when motor I6 is reversed the pedestals move outwardly. Rotatably mounted on the inner end of each of the pedestals is an expansible chuck indicated generally by reference numeral |1 which chucks are operative to tightly grip and rotatably support a coil of strip shown in outline at I8. The apparatus consists also ofa pair of pinch rolls 20 and a roller leveler comprising rolls 2| journaled in housings 23 and 24 which are xed in relation to the base I0. Pinch rolls 20 and roller -leveler rolls 2| are driven by motor 25 through speed reducerr26, an air operated clutch 21, a gear case 28, and couplings 29.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings the coil holding and rotating chucks I1 each consist of the coil.l The magnetic clutches 46 being in driving condition, upon energization of motors 45 the jaws 39 are caused to move radially outward into pressure engagement with the inner periphery of the coil to tightly hold the coil in concentric position about the axis of rotation of the jaws and disks. When this is accomplished clutches 46 are disengaged and then chucks |1 are free to rotate without altering the radial positions of the jaws 31 since shafts 40 and 42 rotate as a unit about the axis of shaft 33. By energizing motor 34 the chucks |1 and consequently the coil are rotated and upon such rotation the Aouter end of the strip may be threaded through pinch rolls 20 and the roller leveler rolls 2|, these rolls being driven by the motor 25.

If, as shown in Figure 3, the strip isto be supplied to a tandem mill, the stands of which are shown schematically at 60 the strip is threaded through the rolling passes by rotation of rolls 2| or rolls of the mill-itself and as it leaves the last stand it is attached to a coiling and tensioning mandrel or drum 6I. When the strip is secured to drum 6| the clutch 21 is disengaged allowing rolls 20 and 2| to rotate freely and thereupon brake motor 54 is energized so that the brake 53 in combination with the friction encountered in the rotation of rolls 20 and 2l together with couplings 29 and gears housed in casing 28 and in the rotation of the chucks themselves will provide sufficient back tension in the strip rearwardly of the rst mill stand to enable the iirst mill stand to operate at maximum eiiiciency. By properly adjusting the roll pressure, speed, and torque in each of the stands of the mill and by rotating drum 6I at a predetermined speed under proper torque the strip is reduced to its proper thickness in. one pass through the mill. The overall efficiency of the mill is substantially increased to the extent indicated above by enabling a greater reduction to be elected by the first stand of the mill.

Referring now to Figure 4 which illustrates the invention as applied to a reversing mill having a single stand 62, there is shown a reversible' coiling and tensioning drum 63 on either side of the stand. In practice, the strip. is wound onto the drums 63 and passes through the stand 62 rst in one direction and then in the other direction with the tractive and braking efforts exerted on the drums giving t-he desired front and back tensionin the strip. In accordance with prior practice, in the first pass of the strip through the mill i. e. as the strip was taken 01T the coil, insullcient back tension was applied and consequently only a part of the usual reduction was eiected in this iirst pass. In accordance with the present invention the pass plane of the roller levelei 2l of the uncoiling mechanism of the invention is so positioned that suicient back tension may be effected. in the rst pass to enable increased reduction to be effected thereby. 'I'he uncoiling apparatus is operated in the manner indicated above and when the end of the strip is rmly affixed tothe drum 63 on the far side of the stand 62 the mill may at once be operated at maximum eniciency. 'I'he overrunning clutch 35 and the disengagement of clutches 21 and 46 enable the coil to be unwound at a speed commensurate with the normal operating speeds of the mills l involved..

It should now be apparent that I have provided an improved apparatus for uncoiling metal strip and an improved cold rolling mill layout utilizing such apparatus whereby the economy of operation of such mills may be materially enhanced. The operation of the expansible chuck I1 is such that the coil is held rigidly and automatically centered whereby the coil may be unwound at speeds considerably higher than is possible to obtain without damage to the apparatusor stock by present mechanisms designed for comparable uses. The uncoiling is accomplished smoothly without chattering of the coil or apparatus and without injury to the side edges or flat surfaces ofthe strip.

At normal operating speeds, 'the brake and other operative parts o1' the machine may be so adjusted that the strip will leave the coil along a natural curve spiralling outward from the coil in the manner explained in my co-pendng application Ser. #328,685 led April 9, 1940. As pointed out in the specification of said co-pending application this method of uncoiling prevents the formation of coil breaks which is of distinct advantage. Figures 3 and 4v indicate the relation of the expansible mandrel to the pinch rolls and it should be understood that the expansible mandrel may lreadily be substituted for the coil of the invention should be considered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the 'spirit or scope of the invention. For example, although the uncoiling apparatus of the. invention is designed for and is particularly adaptable for supplying strip to the cold mill it should be apparent that it is equally adaptable to other general uses as, for example, the supplying of strip to a pickling line. Likewise many changes may be made in the details of construction of the specic apparatus illustrated without mitigating from the effectiveness of the apparatus when utilized in connection-with the tandem and reversing mills as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 respectively. Reference should therefore be had to the dependent claims in determining the scope of the invention.'

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for uncoiling metal strip comprising in combination a base, a pair of supports slideably mounted on said base for movement t0- ward and away from each other, an expansible chuck rotatably mounted on each of said supports and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a coil of strip, said chucks comprising jaws adapted to be moved into pressure engagement with the inner periphery of said coil, power means on said supports to move said jaws into said pressure engagement, means to disconnect said power means from said jaws, power means including an overrunning clutch to rotate at least one of said chucks and consequently the coil held thereon, and means to brake the rotation of at least one of said chucks.

2. Apparatus for uncoiling metal strip comprising in combination a base, a pair of supports slideably'mounted on said base for movement toward and away from each other, an expansible chuck rotatably mounted on each of said supports and adapted to engage the opposite ends of the coil of strip, each of said chucks comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of outwardly extending jaws slideably mounted thereon for radial movement, a radially extending shaft having screw-threaded engagement with each of said jaws, a bevel gear keyed to the inner end of each of said shafts, a shaft joumaled for rotation about an axis coincident with vthe axis ,of rotation of said member, a bevel gear supporting mandrel in the machine illustrated keyed to said last mentioned shaft and in mesh with said rst mentioned bevel gears, means to rotate said last mentioned shaft whereby said -jaws will be moved into pressure engagement with the inner periphery of said coil, and means to disconnect said rotating means from said last mentioned shaft whereby said member and shafts will rotate in unison. l

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including power' means to rotate one of .said chucks, said power means including an overrunning clutch.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including power means to rotate at least one of said chucks, said means including an overrunning clutch, and controllable means to oppose the rotation of at least one of said chucks.

5. Apparatus for' uncoiling metal strip comprising in combination an expansible mandrel for engaging the inner periphery of the coil of strip to hold the coil rigidly thereon, said mandrel being rotatable whereby said coil will rotate about its center of mass, a pair of pinch rolls positioned above and in front of said mandrel whereby the strip will be pulled from said coil along the curve tangent to said coil, a Aroller leveler adjacent the strip leaving side of said pinch rolls, power means to rotate said pinch rolls and the rolls of said roller leveler, and a remotely controlled clutch to disengage said power means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including power means to rotate said expansble mandrel, said last mentioned power means, including an overrunning clutch.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 further im cluding the power means to rotate said mandrel, Asaid I-last mentioned power means including an overrunning clutch, and a controllable brake to oppose rotation of said mandrel.

8. In combination with a metal rolling mill having a strip tensioning device positioned beyond its material leaving end, means to supply strip to said mill comprising a strip uncoiler having a roller leveller associated therewith and means t0 tightly grip the innerperiphery of a coil of -strip for rotation about its principal axis, means to drive said leveler, and means including the friction encountered in the rotation of the parts of saidleveler and uncoiler to eiect suiiicient back tension in a strip as it enters the reducing roll stand to enable said stand of`tle mill to eect increased reduction in the thickness of the strip as the strip moves from said uncoiler through said stand.

9. Apparatus for uncoiling metal strip com-- prising in combination an expansible mandrel lfor engaging the inner periphery of the coil of strip to hold the coil rigidly thereon, said-man-V drel being rotatable whereby said coil will rotate about its center of mass, a pair of pinch rolls positioned above and in front of said mandrel whereby the strip will be pulled from said coil along the curve tangent t0 said coil, a roller leveleradjacent the strip leaving side of said pinch rolls, and power means to rotate said pinch rolls and the rolls of said roller leveler.

10. Apparatus for supplying strip to a strip rolling mill comprising inV combination a rotat- ,able and expansible mandrel to tightly grip the inner periphery of a coil of 'strip for holding said coil and rotating the same about its principal axis, means to oppose rotation of said mandrel, a rollerleveler adapted to receive the strip as it spirals off the coil held on said mandrel, the operation of the apparatus being such that the friction encountered in the rotation of the parts lof the'leveler and uncoiler eiects-sufcient back tension in the strip as it enters the rolling mill to venable said mill to eiiect increased reduction in the thickness of the strip as the strip moves from Y the coil through the mill.

' 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including power means to rotate said mandrel,

said means including an overrunning clutch.

l2. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including power means to rotate the rolls of said Aroller leveler, and a clutch to disconnect said powerr means from said rolls.

13. Apparatus for uncoiling metal strip comprising in combination a base, a pair of supports slidably mounted on said base for movement to'- ward and away from each other, an expansible chuck rotatably mounted on each of said supports and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a coil of strip, said chucks comprising jaws adapted to be moved into pressure engagement with the `inner periphery of said coil, power means 'on said supports to move said jaws into said pressure engagement, means to disconnect the power means from said chucks, and separate power means to rotate at least one of said chucks. 14. Apparatus for uncoiling metal strip cornprising in combination a base, a pair of supports slidably mounted on said base for movement toward and away from each other, an expansible chuck rotatably mounted on each of said supports and adapted to engage the opposite ends of the coil of strip, each of said chucks comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of outwardly extending jaws slidably mounted thereon for radial movement, a radially extending shaft having screw-threaded engagement with each.

of said jaws, a bevel gear keyed to the inner end of each of said shafts, a shaft journaled for rotation about an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of said member, a bevel gear keyed to said last mentioned shaft and in mesh with said rst mentioned bevel gears, and means to rotate said last mentioned shaft whereby said jaws will be moved into pressure engagement with the inner periphery of said coil.

15. Apparatus for supplying metal strip to a device acting on said strip and to eect desired back tension on said strip comprising in combination a rotatable and expansible mandrel 'to tightly grip the inner periphery of a coil of strip for holding said coil and rotating the same about the principal axis thereof, means to oppose rotation of said mandrel, a roller leveller adapted to receive the strip as it spirals off the coil held on said mandrel, the operation of the apparatus being such that the friction encountered in the rotation of the parts of the leveller and the opposing force encountered in the rotation of said mandrel eiects distributed back tension on the strip.

16. Apparatus for supplying metal strip to a device acting on said strip having means to pull said strip and for applying back tension in the strip intermediate said device and apparatus comprising in combination an expansible mandrel for engaging the inner periphery of a coil of strip to hold the coil rigidly thereon, said mandrel being rotatable whereby said coil will rotate about its principal axis, means comprising a roller leveller adapted to receive the strip as it leaves the coil on the mandrel, the rolls of said leveller and the opposing force encountered in the rotation of said mandrel effecting clistributed back tension in said" strip, and means to rotate said mandrel to facilitate threading through of the leading end portion of said strip.

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