Patent GB-984317-A (GB)
Title: Strip uncoiling mechanism
Inventor: RANNEY NEIL JASTER
IPC: B21C47/34
Filed: 1962-10-04
Abstract: 984,317. Unwinding. PRODUCTION MACHINERY CORPORATION. Oct. 4, 1962, No. 37625/62. Heading B3E. A metal strip uncoiler comprises means for mounting a coil of metal strip about a horizontal axis, a strip processing mechanism, a strip flexing unit interposed between the coil and the processing mechanism including strip flexing means defining a transverse path for the strip through the unit, means amounting said unit for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of the coil mounting means, means for pivoting said unit to flex the strip in a sinuous path while passing therethrough from the coil to the processing mechanism and means mounting the flexing unit for bodily movement towards the coil to maintain the flexing means in engagement with the outer convulation of the coil as the latter diminishes in size. The coil mounting means comprises a mandrel 3 mounted on a rotatable core 110 through which an actuating shaft 112 is located, the shaft being connected to four equispaced wedges 119, co-operating with the inside faces of segments 130, via a spider 115 and actuated via a high speed rotating hydraulic cylinder 139 to expand the four segments against the bore of a coil located thereon. The mandrel is completely circular only when in its fullyexpanded condition. A conical nose extension 23 is provided which engages a support member 24 which is manually or hydraulically pivoted about a vertical pivot 25. The mandrel is motor driven via a reduction gear unit 6 and magnetic clutch 7 or can be used in conjunction with a braking unit 8, e.g. a water-cooled air brake with the pressure compensator for the coil outside diameter, to resist the paying out of strip. A coil hold-down roll assembly 22. comprises a roll 2 rotatably mounted on a frame 18-20 which is pivoted at 16 and actuated by hydraulic means 10. A threading and flexing unit positioned adjacent to the mandrel comprises a cartridge 32, mounted on stub shafts P extending within arms 34, 35 which are pivoted at 33, having two circularlyshaped bearing plates 36, 37 interconnected by ribs 42, 43, in which are journalled flexing and back-up rolls 38, 39, 40, 41. A hardened steel scraper blade 44 is mounted on the leading edge of the rib 43. The cartridge is rotated by sector gears 47, 48 secured to shafts " P " via an A.C. motor 66 and gears 60-65 and is moved towards and away from the coil " C " by hydraulic means 50 coupled via cranks to a support connecting the arms 34, 35. A pinch and levelling assembly comprises two pairs of pinch rolls 72, 73, 75, 76 the rolls 72, 75 being mounted in adjustable blocks 79, 80 actuated by cylinders 85, 86 and lower leveller rolls 91-93 and upper offset rolls 95, 96 mounted in blocks 97, 98 and adjustable via jacks 100, 101 driven by worm gearing 102, 103. All the rolls may be driven via a helical reduction gear unit 105 by a D.C. motor. A coil buggy which is mounted on rails 156, 157 in a pit extending longitudinally of the mandrel comprises a fourwheeled carriage, traversed along the rails by hydraulic means 159, having a housing 166 in which are mounted two coil supporting rollers 167, 168, and four depending plates 176-179 which form a box-like section which is closed at its lower end by a plate 180 on which is mounted a hydraulic lifting cylinder 182. The cylinder is connected at its upper end to a plate 185 of housing 166 to which is also secured a similar inner depending box-like section 186 slidable within the outer section. Sliding plates 196, 197 secured to the sides of the buggy serve to keep the pit covered during movement thereof. A coil centering plate 201 and a yoke 203 operated by hydraulic means 200, 202 and mounted on the buggy housing and housing 4 respectively serve to locate the coil axially on the mandrel. In operation, a coil C, stored laterally of the coiling mechanism, is moved on to the buggy cradle which is raised to align the coil eye with the mandrel, the buggy fully advanced and the coil positioned on the mandrel by the plates 201, 203, which subsequently act as guide means, and the mandrel expanded. The holddown roll 22 is lowered and the unit 32 advanced against the outer convolution of the coil and rotated to position its lifting blade 44 so that when the " feed up " drive on the mandrel motor is energized the strip end is peeled from the coil and advanced through the threading unit which is also rotated to facilitate movement of the strip end thereover so that it enters between the pinch rolls. The upper rolls are subsequently adjusted to nip the strip, the unit 32 rotated in reverse to form a sinuous path for the strip (Fig. 1) and advanced so that the roller 38 is loaded against the coil and the pinch and leveller rolls rotated to draw the strip from the coil whilst the brake 8 of the mandrel maintains the strip under the correct tension. In a modification a single flexing roll may be used. Small diameter flexing rolls may be used which serve to facilitate cracking of scale from hot rolled strip. A schematic layout of the hydraulic control system is shown in Fig. 9 (not shown).