SLEEVE MOUNTING AND REMOVAL TOOL

Abstract: A tool for use in combination with an annular roll (10) fixed on the end of a shaft (12) by means of a sleeve (14) axially inserted in wedged engagement therebetween. The tool includes a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder assembly having an axially extending mounting stem (28) which is adapted to be received in detachably interlocked engagement within an axial blind bore (38) in the end of the shaft (12). The cylinder (18) is rotatable on the stem (28) to adjust the tool between sleeve removal and sleeve inserting positions. When in the sleeve removal position, the piston (26) bears against the shaft end (10) and the cylinder (18) engages and removes the sleeve (14). When in the sleeve insertion position, the cylinder (18) is checked against a stop (32) on the mounting stem (28) and the piston (26) urges the sleeve (14) into wedged engagement between the roll (10) and the shaft (12).

Description: This invention relates according to the preamble of claim 1 generally to the art of changing work rolls in a rolling mill, and is concerned in particular with an improved tool for changing so-called "overhung" work rolls in rod and bar mills. As part of the ongoing effort to increase the production efficiency of rolling mills, more attention is being focused on minimizing the down time occasioned by the need to change work rolls. To this end, mechanical manipulators and robots are being developed to assist operating personnel in performing this task as rapidly as possible. However, efforts to effectively utilize manipulators and robots have been frustrated by the handling complexities associated with conventional roll changing tools. More particularly, overhung work rolls are conventionally fixed to the tapered ends of roll support shafts by means of tapered sleeves interposed in wedged engagement therebetween. A variety of hydraulically actuated tools have been developed to provide the considerable axial force required to seat and unseat the tapered sleeves. In some cases, two tools are required, one to seat the sleeves during roll mounting, and the other to unseat the sleeves during roll removal. In other cases, one tool accomplishes both functions by having its opposite ends adapted respectively to seat and unseat the sleeves. In cases where two tools are required, the manipulators or robots must either be provided with two sets of arms, thereby increasing costs and operating complexities, or the tools must be manually interchanged, with considerable attendant lost time. In cases where one tool has its opposite ends adapted to handle both sleeve insertion and sleeve removal, the tool must be turned end to end during each roll changing operation. This again unduly increases operating complexities. A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved hydraulic tool which can accomplish both the sleeve insertion and sleeve removal functions without the need to turn the tool end to end. A companion objective of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic tool which is simple to operate and consequently easily adaptable for use with mechanical manipulators, robots or the like In PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol 9, No 179 (M-399)(1902) representing the closest prior art, there is disclosed a roll mounting device for a cantilever work roll in a rolling mill wherein a sleeve is axially shifted into and out of wedged engagement between the work roll and a support shaft for the roll. The device comprises a fluid actuated piston-cylinder assembly having an axially extending mounting stem releasably engaged with the roll shaft in axial alignment therewith, the cylinder being angularly displaceable on the stem between a first sleeve removal position and a second sleeve inserting position. The piston-cylinder assembly incorporates two pistons disposed in respective chambers on opposite sides of a double-acting cylinder head, one chamber being pressurised when removing the sleeve and the other when inserting the sleeve such that the cylinder head is driven in opposite directions. According to the present invention, a tool of the type generally disclosed in the above Japanese Abstract and having the features of claim 1 is characterised by a piston-cylinder assembly having only a single piston, the arrangement being such that, with the cylinder in its first sleeve removal position, actuation of the piston-cylinder assembly urges the piston against the roll shaft while the cylinder engages and removes the sleeve and, with the cylinder in its second sleeve inserting position, actuation of the piston-cylinder assembly urges the cylinder against a stop on the mounting stem and the piston against the sleeve such that the sleeve is urged into wedged engagement between the roll and the roll shaft. The mounting stem is preferably received in detachably interlocked engagement within an axial blind bore in the end of the roll shaft. When in the sleeve removal position, the piston bears against the shaft end and the cylinder engages and removes the sleeve. When in the sleeve insertion position, the cylinder is checked against a stop on the mounting stem and the piston urges the sleeve into wedged engagement between the roll and the shaft. In the accompanying drawings, by way of example only:- Figure 1 is a sectional view through a tool embodying the present invention, showing the tool adjusted for sleeve removal; Figure 2 is a sectional view, with portions broken away, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial sectional view similar to Figure 1, showing the tool at the conclusion of the sleeve removal stroke; Figure 4 is another partial sectional view showing the tool adjusted for sleeve insertion; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the tool at the conclusion of the sleeve insertion stroke. Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, an annular roll 10 is shown mounted in a conventional manner on the end of a roll shaft 12 by means of a tapered sleeve 14 having one end 14a axially inserted in wedged engagement therebetween. The opposite end 14b of the sleeve is spaced axially from the outboard face of the roll 10 and is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced first lugs 16 extending radially outwardly therefrom. A tool for inserting and removing the sleeve 14 includes a cylinder 18 closed at one end by an end wall 20 and open at the opposite end. A ring 22 is threaded into the open end of the cylinder and is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced second lugs 24 extending radially inwardly therefrom. A piston 26 is contained within the cylinder 18. A mounting stem 28 extends axially through both the piston 26 and the cylinder 18. One end of the mounting stem protrudes from the open cylinder end and is provided with oppositely extending lateral bosses 30. The opposite end of the mounting stem protrudes through the cylinder end wall 20 and is provided with an enlarged collar 32 forming a stop. The piston and cylinder are shiftable in opposite directions in relation to each other as well as in relation to the mounting stem, with the axial shifting of the cylinder in the outboard direction (to the right as viewed in Figure 1) being limited by engagement with the collar 32. The piston and cylinder are also rotatable in relation to the mounting stem. A pin 34 on the piston 26 extends radially into a slot 36 in the cylinder wall to prevent relative rotation between the piston and cylinder. Another pin 37 protrudes radially inwardly from the ring 22 threaded into the open end of the cylinder 18. The roll shaft 12 has a blind note bore defined by an axial passageway 38 leading to an enlarged diameter chamber 40, with the juncture between the chamber and passageway defining locking surfaces or shoulders 42. The passageway 38 is laterally enlarged by side slots 44 configured and dimensioned to accommodate the oppositely extending lateral bosses 30 on the mounting stem. By aligning the bosses 30 with the side slots 44, the mounting stem 28 can be inserted into the passageway to place the bosses 30 in the chamber 40. Then, by rotating the stem 90°, the bosses can be positioned behind the locking shoulders 42, thereby placing the mounting stem in axially interlocked engagement with the roll shaft 12. A reverse 90° rotation frees the stem for axial disengagement from the roll shaft. The mounting stem 28 and cylinder 18 are respectively provided with exterior handles 46,48 to facilitate their rotative adjustment. In the condition shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tool has been axially received on the end of the roll shaft 12. The stem 28 has been rotatably adjusted to locate its bosses 30 behind the locking shoulders 42, thereby achieving an axial interlock of the tool on the shaft end. The cylinder 18 has been rotated with respect to the stem 28 to locate the second lugs 24 behind and in alignment with the first lugs 16 on the outboard end 14b of sleeve 14. Because of the mechanical interlock between the piston and sleeve provided by the pin 34 received in slot 36, a corresponding rotation has been imparted to the piston to thereby align slots 50 in its annular end flange 52 with the first lugs 16. Compression springs 54 are interposed between the ring 22 and snap ring 56 on the piston end flange 52. The springs 54 resiliently urge the piston against the end wall 20 of the cylinder 18. A hydraulic fluid passageway 58 leads to the interface between the piston 26 and cylinder end wall 20. When hydraulic fluid is pumped into passageway 58, the piston 26 and cylinder end wall 20 are axially separated. The piston is checked against the end of the roll shaft 12 as at 60, thereby causing the cylinder 18 to be shifted axially in the outboard direction (to the right as viewed in Figure 1) with respect to both the stem 28 and the piston 26. Thus as shown in Figure 3, because of the mechanical interlock of the second lugs 24 behind the first lugs 16, the sleeve 14 is pulled axially out of its seated position in wedged engagement between the roll 10 and shaft 12. The slots 50 in the end flange 52 of the piston receive the first lugs 16 as the sleeve is drawn towards the piston. The axial movement of the sleeve relative to the piston compresses the springs 54. Consequently, when hydraulic fluid pressure is relieved , the springs 54 return the sleeve to the position shown in Figure 1. Then, by rotating the cylinder 18 to align the second lugs 24 with the spaces between the first lugs 16, and by rotating the stem 28 to align the bosses 30 with the side slots 44 in passageway 38, the tool can be removed from the roll shaft, after which the sleeve and roll can be dismantled. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the operating sequence during roll mounting, which entails forcibly seating the sleeve 14 between the roll and the roll shaft. As sown in Fig. 4, the tool is again mounted on the end of the roll shaft 12, with the mounting stem 28 received in passageway 38, and with the lateral bosses 30 interlocked behind the locking shoulders 42. The cylinder 18 is rotatably adjusted to align the spaces between the second lugs 24 with the first lugs 16 on the sleeve. Hydraulic fluid is again pumped into passageway 58 to axially separate the piston 26 from the cylinder end wall 20. The cylinder end wall is checked against the stem shoulder 32, and the piston is moved axially in the inboard direction (to the left as viewed in Figures 4 and 5). The end flange 52 on the piston engages the first lugs 16 on the sleeve, causing the sleeve to be forcibly wedged between the roll 10 and shaft 12, as shown in Figure 5. The spaces between the second lugs 24 accommodate movement of the sleeve relative to the cylinder, and movement of the piston 26 relative to the cylinder 18 again compresses the springs 54. Thus, when hydraulic pressure is relieved, the springs 54 return the piston to the position shown in Figure 4. Then, by simply rotating the stem 28 to disengage the bosses 30 from the locking shoulders 42, the tool can be removed from the roll shaft. When in the position shown by the solid lines in Figure 2, the pin 37 abuts a side of one of the first lugs 16 and thus locates the second lugs 24 behind the first lugs for sleeve removal. When the cylinder is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to cause pin 37 to abut the side of the next adjacent first lug 16 (as shown by the broken lines at 37′ in Figure 2), the spaces between the second lugs 24 are aligned with the first lugs 16 for sleeve insertion. In light of the foregoing, it will now be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tool of the present invention offers a number of significant advantages. For example, the tool may be rapidly engaged with the shaft end by simply inserting the mounting stem 28 into the passageway 38 and then turning it through a quarter turn to engage the bosses 30 behind the locking shoulders 42. Disengagement merely requires reversing this simple procedure. The tool is rapidly and easily adjusted for either sleeve removal or sleeve insertion by simply rotating the cylinder between the two positions established by the locating pin 37. Both removal and insertion are effected by connecting the same end of the tool to the roll shaft.

Claims: 1. A tool for axially shifting a sleeve (14) into and out of wedged engagement between a work roll (10) and a support shaft (12) for the roll, the tool comprising a fluid actuated piston-cylinder assembly (26, 18) having an axially extending mounting stem (28) releasably engageable with the roll shaft (12) in axial alignment therewith, the cylinder (18) being angularly displaceable on the stem (28) between a first sleeve removal position and a second sleeve inserting position, the arrangement being such that, with the cylinder (18) in its first position, actuation of the piston-cylinder assembly urges the piston (26) against the roll shaft (12) while the cylinder (18) engages and removes the sleeve (14), characterised in that, with the cylinder (18) in its second position, actuation of the piston-cylinder assembly urges the cylinder (18) against a stop (32) on the mounting stem (28) and the piston (26) against the sleeve (14) such that the sleeve (14) is urged into wedged engagement between the roll (10) and the roll shaft (12). 2. A tool according to claim 1 for shifting a sleeve having one end axially inserted in wedged engagement between the roll and the shaft and having an opposite end spaced axially from the roll with circumferentially spaced first lugs (16) extending radially outwardly therefrom, wherein the cylinder (18) is closed at one end and open at the opposite end, with circumferentially spaced second lugs (24) extending radially inwardly from the cylinder at the said opposite end; the first lugs (16) being arranged in a plane axially located between the second lugs (24) and the piston (26) such that, with the cylinder (18) in its sleeve removal position, the second lugs (24) are aligned in an interlocked relationship with the first lugs (16), and, with the cylinder (18) in its sleeve inserting position, the second lugs (24) are aligned with the spaces between the first lugs (16). 3. A tool according to claim 2 wherein the piston-cylinder assembly (26, 18) is actuated by introducing a pressurized fluid medium between the piston (26) and the closed end of the cylinder, whereupon when the cylinder (18) is in the sleeve removal position, the piston (26) is urged in one direction against the roll shaft (12) and the cylinder (18) is urged in the opposite direction to disengage the sleeve (14) from between the roll (10) and shaft (12), and whereupon when the cylinder (18) is in the sleeve inserting position, the cylinder (18) is urged in one direction against the stop (32) and the piston is urged in the opposite direction against the first lugs (16). 4. A tool as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising means (54) for resiliently biasing the piston (26) towards the closed end of the cylinder (18). 5. A tool as claimed in any one of the claims 2-4, wherein the roll shaft (12) has a blind bore (38) adapted to axially receive an end of the stem (28), the bore (38) having locking surfaces (42) to be rotatably engaged by laterally extending bosses (30) on the said end of the stem (28). 6. A tool as claimed in claim 5 further comprising external handle means (46, 48) at the closed end of the cylinder (18) for rotatably manipulating the cylinder and the stem. 7. A tool as claimed in any one of the claims 2-6 further comprising locating means (37) for limiting the rotation of the cylinder (18) between the sleeve removal position and the sleeve inserting position.

Inventors: HOWARD, ROBERT S., NASRAH, CAMILLE S.
Applicants: MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY (A MASSACHUSETTS CORPORATION)
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B21B27
IPC codes: B25B27, F16D1, B21B27, B21B31, B21B13