Patent GB-962419-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for storing moving strip material
IPC: B21C49/00
Filed: 1962-09-27
Abstract: 962,419. Making sheets; metal strip feeds. HERR EQUIPMENT CORPORATION. Sept. 27, 1962 [Nov. 14, 1961], No. 36698/62. Headings B3A and B3W. [Also in Division B6] A device for storing variable quantities of moving strip material comprises a plurality of rolls over which the strip travels in a loop, one of said rolls being bodily shiftable in a direction transversely of its axis to vary the size of the loop, thus varying the quantity of stored strip, and means for tilting the axis of one of said rolls to steer in an edgewise direction the moving strip contained in the strip loop. A strip accumulator comprises a pair of columns 21, 22 joined by a piece 23, and guiding a carriage 25 which supports a rotatable roll 19. There are rolls 24 and 124 supported at the base of the columns. The carriage is attached to cables 28 and 29 which pass over pulleys 30 . . . 35 and 39, 40 (Fig. 8) and are attached to bar 36, which is supported on the piston rod 37 of a fluid cylinder 38. The cylinder is attached to the column 22 and connected to a source of fluid pressure so that it exerts a downward pressure on the bar 36 and hence biases the carriage 25 upwardly to maintain the loop 5 taut at all times. In order to correct for camber in the strip, which would cause the strip to run off the rolls, the carriage 25 is arranged to be tilted in a vertical plane containing the axis of the roll. The tilting is effected by a chain and sprocket device comprising a chain 59 which passes under a sprocket 49 over a sprocket 45 and then round a sprocket 54 to a block 58. A similar chain 57 passes under a sprocket 43, over a sprocket 47 and round a sprocket 56 to the block 58. A reversible motor 68 operates a screw 66 which engages a thread in the block 58 and moves it along a rod 63 mounted under the carriage. Movement of the block to the left in Fig. 7 will lengthen the chain 57 and shorten the chain 59 so that the carriage will be tilted in a clockwise direction. The shafts 41 and 42 pass through the carriage 25 and have mounted on their other ends similar sprockets which engage with similar chains, so that both sides of the carriage move simultaneously. The inner sprockets 43 and 47, and the corresponding sprockets at the opposite ends of the shafts 41 and 42 are keyed to the shaft so that only the block 58 need be driven, since the appropriate motion will be transmitted to the other side of the carriage. The outer sprockets at each end of the shafts are free to rotate thereon. The motor 68 is controlled by a photo-electric cell 71 which senses the position of the edge of the strip " S " and initiates rotation of the motor in the correct direction if the strip deviates from the desired path. The accumulator is one of two associated with an annealing furnace 14 for stainless steel strip. The strip is drawn from a coil 10 and passes through a degreaser 12 to the entry accumulator 13, the furnace 14, an exit accumulator 15, a shear 16 and a coiler 17. The entry accumulator 13 is normally run full and the exit accumulator is run empty. When the coil 10 is exhausted the trailing end of the strip is welded to the leading end of a new coil 10a, in a welding unit 11, and while the end of the strip is held stationary for this operation, strip is drawn from the accumulator 13. When the coiler 17 has wound a coil of the required size the strip is stopped and cut by the shear 16, and during this time strip accumulates in the exit accumulator 15. In a modification there are three rolls mounted on the carriage over which the strip passes, to form three loops. Additional fixed rolls similar to rolls 24, 124 will be required to support the lower ends of the loops.