Patent GB-1145755-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for performing operations on intermittently moving stock
Inventor: WALLACE JAMES
IPC: B23D36/00
Filed: 1965-12-15
Abstract: 1,145,755. Flying shears. AUXILIARY ROLLING MACHINERY Ltd. 15 March, 1967 [15 Dec., 1965], No. 53146/65. Heading B3W. An accelerator for a flying shear, or an apparatus having a like flying motion, comprises a fluid pressure operated motor having an output motor operatively connected to the tools, first and second control means being provided to control the flow of fluid in said motor in accordance with the movement of the stock and thereby control movement of the tools in at least one direction in relation to the stock, the first control means controlling maximum speed of the tools and the second control means being independent of the first control means and controlling the acceleration of the tools to the said maximum speed. The shearing tool assembly 13 is connected to the piston rod 12 of an hydraulic cylinder 10. Hydraulic reservoirs 20 and 21 are connected to opposite ends of the cylinder through valves 18 and 19 respectively which determine the maximum rate of flow of the fluid into the cylinder. Each reservoir is connected through a solenoid - operated valve 23, 24 respectively to a pneumatic reservoir which is filled through a reducing valve 29. A pressure regulator 25 in the supply line to the reservoir 21 enables the maximum pressure therein to be adjusted. A piston or flexible diaphragm may be provided at the air/liquid interface in the reservoirs. The liquid containing portions of the reservoirs are joined by a balance-pipe containing a stop-valve. The connection 14 between the tool assembly 13 and the piston-rod 12 has a lost-motion action which accommodates any small difference between the speeds of the tools and the stock, which may be a tube formed from skelp. This connection comprises an adapter 41, Fig. 3, screwed on to the piston rod with a reduced diameter portion 42 which receives a bracket 14 and springs may be fitted between the sides of the bracket and the adjacent radial faces defining the length of the reduced portion. A resiliently or hydraulically loaded shock-absorber plunger 50 is slidably mounted in a stop-block 46 which limits the rearward motion of the tool assembly and also acts as a guide for the adapter 41. Operation.-When the leading end of the stock contacts an electrical switch lever 31, the solenoid valves 23 and 24 are set to pressurize the reservoir 20 and to connect the reservoir 21 to atmosphere. The tool set is driven in the feed direction of the stock, the acceleration depending on the pressure in the reservoir, which is determined by the valve 29, and the maximum speed being dependent on the setting of the valves 18 and 19. Since the valves 18 and 19 act in series, one of the valves may be omitted or the valves may be of a type to permit unrestricted flow in one direction. As the tool assembly travels forward a trailing arm 37 operates a micro-switch 36 which initiates the operation of the platen 35. The arm subsequently operates a switch 38 which re-sets the solenoid valves 23 and 24 to reverse the motion of the piston. A third microswitch 39 is operated at the beginning of the cycle and starts a timer which stops the whole apparatus if, within a given period of time, the switch has not again been operated by the return of the tool assembly to its starting position. As an alternative to mixed pneumatic/hydraulic operation, a fully hydraulic or pneumatic system may be used, or a single-acting cylinder may be employed and either the working or return stroke effected by a spring. Instead or positive pressure, a vacuum system may be used. In a modification the switch lever 31 and switch 30 are replaced by an impulse generator (56) Fig. 4 (not shown), driven by the stock or its feed rolls, and a decatron counter which delivers an output pulse when the required length of stock has been fed and initiates the operation of the apparatus.