Patent GB-1143459-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for continuous forming of strip material
IPC: B21D5/08
Filed: 1967-08-22
Abstract: 1,143,459. Angular bending by rolls; straightening. B. VIHL. 22 Aug., 1967 [31 Jan., 1967], No. 38649/67. Heading B3E. A continuous strip forming apparatus comprises a base and at least one pair of mating axially parallel transverse forming rolls rotatably mounted on the base and one of the pair being mounted in an adjustable yoke for varying the spacing between the axes of the rolls, the yoke and adjustment means comprising a bearing at each end of the one roll mounted in a block which is movable relative to the base, at least one guide post extending from each block past the other roll. Slidably guided in the base and extending beyond the base, an adjusting plate joining the guide posts beyond the base and means operative between the plate and the base to move the plate, posts, blocks and the one roll relative to the base and the other roll. The invention also comprises an apparatus for continuously forming strip transversely by passing it through at least one pair of mating axially parallel rolls the apparatus including further rolls which form the finished strip longitudinally to produce a spiral in which either of the original surfaces of the strip are to the outside, the rolls being mounted on a support member which is vertically adjustable relative to the transverse forming rolls and spaced from them in the direction of strip travel, an arm mounted on the support and angularly adjustable about an axis co-incident with the axis of one of the further rolls and carrying at its free end the other of the forming rolls, the axis of both the further rolls being parallel to the axes of the transverse forming rolls and the range of vertical adjustment of the support member being such that the longitudinal forming rolls may be moved together to elevations above or below the transverse forming rolls. Strip 32 is drawn from a reel and is formed progressively by six pairs of rolls 54, 68-72, Fig. 2 to the shape shown in Fig. 7G. The strip first passes through plain rolls 42 (43) and edge guide rolls 45, 46 which position the strip, and then through forming rolls 54 (55) which produce a preliminary downward indentation of the middle of the strip. These first two pairs of rolls are freely rotatable. The following rolls have the bottom roll of each pair positively driven by chains, the upper rolls 68, 69, 70 of the first three pairs being freely rotatable and the upper rolls 71, 72 of the last two pairs each being gear driven from the lower rolls. There are edge guides before each pair of forming rolls and exit edge guides 199, 200. The upper rolls 68-72 are adjustable relative to their mating rolls and each is mounted in an assembly similar to that shown in Figs. 5 and 8. The roll 72 is supported by bearings 84 which are housed in two blocks 88, 89. Two guide posts 92 pass through bores in each block and a shoulder on the post is clamped against a shoulder in the bore by a nut 94. The posts are a sliding fit in bores 95 in side plates of the apparatus, the lower rolls each being supported by bearings 85 housed in the side plates. The posts extend through clearance holes in the base of the apparatus and are clamped in an adjuster plate 77. A screw 76 passes through a tapped hole in the plate and has a head at its upper end which is held against the underside of the base by a collar 80. The position of the assembly is adjusted by the screw 76 and locked by a nut 78. Each of the lower rolls has enlarged ends so that the upper roll cannot be moved so close to the lower roll that the distance between their mating forms is less than the strip thickness. At the exit end of the apparatus is a further pair of rolls which curve the strip longitudinally with the concave side facing the inside or outside of the curve, so that the strip may be applied to the inside or outside surface of a cylindrical tank. The longitudinal curving rolls 100, 104, Figs. 9 and 10, are mounted on a yoke 108 which is vertically adjustable so that the roll pass is aligned with, or is above or below the pass of the last pair of forming rolls. The yoke comprises a base and sides which are mounted on a tubular stem 132 which has a longitudinal keyway 144. The stem is received in a socket 141 attached to the base 20 of the apparatus and is prevented from turning by a key 143 engaging the keyway. A screw 134 passes through a bridge 142 across the socket and has an enlarged end which is held to the yoke by a collar 135. The lower roll 104 is mounted by bearings 106 on a spindle 105 which is journalled in bores 109 in the sides of the yoke. The ends of the spindle 105 project beyond the sides and on each end is pivotally mounted an arm 110. The upper roller 100 is mounted by bearings 103 on a spindle 102 which is received in slots 114 in the arms 110. A screw 111 adjusts the position of each end of the spindle in the slots. The angular position of each arm is adjusted by a screw 123 which engages a nut 127 pivotally mounted by a stem in a hole 128 in each arm. The screw is rotatable in, but prevented from moving axially relative to a boss 124 which is pivotally mounted in a bore 130 in the side of the yoke. By adjusting the screws 123 by equal amounts the roll 100 can be moved to either side of a vertical line through the axis of the lower roll 104 and the position of the entire yoke is adjustable by the screw 134 to produce a desired longitudinal curvature of the strip. In a modification of the means for adjusting the angular position of the arms, Fig. 13 (not shown), the arms are extended beyond the centre-line.