Patent GB-1067296-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and method for shearing, welding and planishing metal strips
IPC: B21D39/03
Filed: 1964-12-15
Abstract: 1,067,296. Making strip; shearing; welding by fusion; planishing by rolling. VOSS ENGINEERING CO. Dec. 15, 1964 [Dec. 19, 1963], No. 51094/64. Headings B3A, B3M, B3R and B3W. An apparatus for joining metal strips end-toend comprises a frame 1, means mounted on the frame for clamping the strip ends, a carriage 6 mounted for reciprocating movement on the frame transversely of the strips and driven by a fluid cylinder 7, a shearing head 8 having two pairs of shearing discs 9 and 10 and means for detachably fastening the shear head to the carriage 6 for movement across the strips, a welding head 21 movable across the strips by a screw 86 and a planishing head comprising a pair of rollers 15, 16, which also has means by which it can be detachably fastened to the carriage 6 for movement across the strip. Shearing.-The shear head 8 comprises a pair of upper,cutters 9 and a pair of lower cutters 10. The vertical distance between the shafts is adjusted by wedges (41 and 42), Fig. 9 (not shown). Shims may be placed (at 23) to move the axis of either pair of blades laterally of the common vertical axis. The trimmed-off end passes between guides (44 and 48) and under a ball check (45a). The pre-load on the bearings (81), Fig. 10 (not shown), is controlled by the dimensions of the spacers (82 and 82a). Welding.-The welding head assembly 21 comprises a welding head 47 having means to supply an inert gas, such as argon to the weld, a consumable filler wire feed 48 and automatic means to control the length of the arc. The assembly 21 is mounted on a carriage 20 which is moved transversely by a screw 86 driven by a variable speed motor 85. The welding head is raised and lowered by a fluid cylinder 46. Planishing.-The planishing assembly 14 comprises a U-shaped frame which has a roll 15 at one end and an adjustably mounted roll 16 at the other end. The position of the roll 16 is adjusted by a wedge 52 moved by a fluid cylinder 54 to a position determined by a stop which can be moved by the hand wheel 58. Strip-clamping.-A pair of similar clamps (114), Fig. 5 (not shown), are provided for clamping the strip ends which are to be welded. The upper platen (69) is fixed and the lower platen (39) is moved vertically on guide rods (67) by an hydraulic torque motor (64) through a connecting rod (65). The complete clamp is movable longitudinally of the strip by a fluid cylinder 116. During a strip feeding operation the lower platen is held away from the upper platen by cam-surfaces formed on pivoted links (131), Fig. 13 (not shown). The links are controlled by a fluid cylinder (130). There are also hold-downs (122) which each hold a strip end against a bar (123), which carries a plurality of selectively usable chill bars (124). The hold-downs (122) are pressed against the strip ends by flexible tubes (121) which are inflated by compressed air. The movement of the strips is also controlled by two pairs of pinch rolls (27, 28 and 31, 32). The rolls (27) and (31) are mounted in fixed bearings and the rolls (28), (32) are vertically movable by fluid cylinders (30 and 34). Operation.-Before the trailing end of a leading strip enters the apparatus a sensing device actuates main feed rolls (not shown) and stops the strip end in approximately the required position. The exit pinch rolls (31, 32) grip the strip and the lower platen (39) rises, to a position determined by the cam surfaces on the links (131) and acts as a strip guide. The rolls (31, 32) then advance the strip to a position determined by a sensing device so that the trailing end is exactly in the shearing position. The leading end of a trailing strip is positioned in a similar way by the rolls (27 and 28). The sensing devices may be a photo-electric cell, a proximity switch or a micro-switch. The strip ends are then clamped by the platens (39, 69) and both sets of pinch rolls release the strip. The carriage 6 then draws the shearing head 8 across the strips to trim the ends. At the end of the shearin operation the strip ends are moved apart b<SP>g</SP> Y    the platens, so that the sheared surfaces are not damaged by the shearing cutters as the shearing head returns to its starting position. The cylinders (116) are then operated to move the strip ends into overlapping, abutting, or slightly spaced apart welding position. The bar (123) is moved into position, the hold down assemblies are moved forward by links (118) connected to hydraulic torque motors (117) and the tubes (121) are inflated. The fingers (122) are mounted so that as they press down on the strips they also tend to move the two strip edges together. Welding is effected and the strip is then released by the fingers (122) but remains held by the platens (39, 69). The planishing head is then drawn across the weld by the carriage 6.