Patent Publication Number: US-2010126003-A1

Title: Device for quickly replacing a work roll

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to a device for quickly replacing a work roll. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to the technical field of machine tools for the surface processing of plate- or strip-like work pieces by means of work rolls or the like, and is concerned in particular with a device which allows the quick replacement of the work rolls used in such machine tools. 
     Machine tools of the aforementioned kind ordinarily comprise one or more work rolls which are rotatably mounted on suitable supports fixed to the machine frame. Threaded connectors, or equivalent connecting means, are generally used for fastening the supports to the machine frame. While these connecting means allow the work roll supports to be fixedly and securely connected to the machine frame, they have, however, the drawback of making the replacement of the work rolls rather difficult and time consuming to perform, both because of the number of threaded connectors which must be loosened and removed, and because of the position of the same which in some cases is difficult to reach by the operator. 
     Inasmuch as the replacement of the work rolls, together with their supports, may be necessary not only for maintenance operations, but also for the purpose of varying the type of processing to perform, it would be desirable to have a device that would allow the work rolls to be replaced faster and easier, in order to reduce the maintenance time, as well as to make the required replacement operations ergonomic and simple for the operator. 
     Such a device should, furthermore, be configured so as to be also applicable to and usable with previously-built machine tools, with minimal modifications thereto, in order to extend the advantages resulting from the use of the device to existing machine tools as well. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is therefore the task of present invention to provide a device for quickly replacing a work roll of a machine tool for the surface processing of plate- or strip-like work pieces, wherein said work roll is journaled on suitable journal bearings and said machine tool is provided with roll carrier arms for attachment to said journal bearings, wherein said roll carrier arms comprise a coupling plate and said journal bearings comprise a corresponding coupling block for connection to said coupling plate, and wherein, for the detachable connection between said coupling plate and said corresponding coupling block said coupling plate is provided with a pair of locking pins and said coupling block is provided with a pair of pinholes, for receiving said pair of locking pins when said coupling plate and said coupling block are in a coupling position, and said coupling block is further provided with a pair of locking bolts rotatably mounted internally thereof and capable of being reversibly moved between a first operative angular position, wherein said locking pins are free to pass into and out from the corresponding pinholes in said coupling block, and a second operative angular position, wherein by means of a positive interlocking said locking bolts prevent said locking pins to pass out from the corresponding pinholes, when said coupling plate and said coupling block are in said coupling position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described in more detail by reference to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a work roll of a machine tool for the surface processing of plate- or strip-like work pieces illustrating, in cross-section, the journal bearings of the work roll supported by a pair of roll carrier arms attached to the machine frame; 
         FIG. 2  is a lateral elevation view of the right end of the work roll and its corresponding journal bearing, shown in the condition where the journal bearing is fastened to the roll carrier arm, and 
         FIG. 3  is a similar view to  FIG. 2 , but showing the work roll in the condition where the journal bearing is unfastened from the roll carrier arm. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, there is designated by numeral  10  a cylindrical work roll of a machine tool MU for the surface processing of plate- or strip-like work pieces. The work roll  10  is provided with a pair of end journals, designated by numerals  11  and  12 , which are rotatably mounted together therewith on journal bearings  13  and  14 , respectively. A joint  15 , or a clutch having a quick engaging-disengaging mechanism, connects end journal  12  to a drive shaft  16  which transmits rotary movement to the work roll  10 . 
     Journal bearings  13 ,  14  are each provided with a coupling block  17  for connection to a corresponding coupling plate  18  of a roll carrier arm  19  and  20 , respectively, which is adjustably mounted in the vertical direction on the frame of the machine tool MU. 
     As can be seen particularly in  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings, each coupling plate  18  is provided with a pair of locking pins, indicated by numerals  22  and  23 , the top and bottom portions of which project therefrom, whereas a central portion of the locking pins  22 ,  23  is housed in a suitable collared bushing  24  which is firmly arranged in a bore  25  passing through the coupling plate  18 . 
     The top portion of locking pins  22 ,  23  is formed of a circular cylindrical section  26  which has a thread at its top end. A cupped spring  27  is fitted around the top portion of the locking pins  22 ,  23  and is pressed against a collar  28  of the bushing  24  by a stop ring  29  which is fastened to the top threaded end of the locking pin  22 ,  23 , so that the pre-load of the spring  27  can be adjusted by operating on the stop ring  29 . 
     The bottom portion of the locking pins  22 ,  23  projecting from the coupling plates  18  comprises a neck forming section  30 , which is preferably trapezoidal in shape and is adapted to be received within corresponding bores  31  made in coupling blocks  17 , when the latter and the coupling plates  18  are in a coupling position, as illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. 
     In order to allow the blocking of the locking pins  22 ,  23  within the receiving bores  31  there is provided a pair of locking bolts, designated by numerals  32  and  33 , which are disposed with their axes parallel one another and perpendicular to the axes of the locking pins  22 ,  23 . 
     The locking bolts  32 ,  33  are rotatably guided within bores  34  and  35 , respectively, which are made internally of the coupling blocks  17  of the journal bearings  13 ,  14  and are oriented to intersect a portion of the bores  31  receiving the locking pins  22 ,  23 . 
     The locking bolts  32 ,  33  have a shank section which includes a circular semi-cylindrical notch  36  having a radius of curvature which is approximately equal to half the diameter of the receiving bores  31  of the locking pins  22 ,  23 . 
     An end of the locking bolts  32 ,  33  projects from one of the coupling blocks  17  and is provided with a bolt head  37  which is shaped so that it can be operated with a suitable tool. 
     By operating the bolt heads  37 , the locking bolts  32 ,  33  can be rotated between an operative locking position of the locking pins  22 ,  23 , illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, and an operative unlocking position thereof, illustrated in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 3  of the drawings, it will be noted that when the locking bolts  32 ,  33  are in the operative unlocking position, notch  36  on the locking bolts  32 ,  33  is disposed facing neck forming section  30  on the locking pins  22 ,  23  and is flush with the wall of bores  31  receiving the said locking pins. In this operative position of the locking bolts  32 ,  33 , locking pins  22 ,  23  are free to move into and out of the corresponding receiving bores  31 , and thus the coupling plate  18  of the roll carrier arms  19 ,  20  can be moved close to or away from the corresponding coupling block  17  of the journal bearings  13 ,  14 . 
     When, instead, the locking bolts  32 ,  33  are in the operative locking position illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, a convex side  38  thereof, which is located opposite to notch  36 , is positively interlocked with the neck forming section  30  of the locking pins  22 ,  23  and holds the locking pins  22 ,  23  within the corresponding receiving bores  31 , in order to firmly connect the coupling blocks  17  of the journal bearings  13 ,  14  to the corresponding coupling plates  18  of the roll carrier arms  19 ,  20 . By setting the pre-load of the cupped springs  27  with the stop rings  29 , the tightening force between the coupling blocks  17  and the corresponding coupling plates  18  can be adjusted. 
     In the practise, the operation of the device according to the present invention will be the following. When the replacement of the work roll  10  is required, the machine tool is opened to introduce a carriage  39 , or other equivalent means, under the work roll  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, for the purpose of supporting the same during its replacement. Thereafter, the bolt heads  37  of the locking bolts  32 ,  33  are rotated to unlock the locking pins  22 ,  23  and the roll carrier arms  19 ,  20  are raised. It is possible at this point to replace the work roll  10  of the machine tool with a new one. Of course, the operations for mounting the new work roll are performed through movements which are opposite to those previously described and sequenced in reverse order. 
     Advantageously, by virtue of the present invention, the operations for connecting together and disconnecting the coupling block  17  and the coupling plate  18  do not require the fastening and unfastening of bolts, and are performed by simply operating the bolt heads  37 , in order to rotate the locking bolts  32 ,  33  between the operative locking and unlocking positions. The tool for carrying out said operations is conventionally used in the art and is ordinarily provided with the machine tool since it is used for other adjustments thereof. 
     From the foregoing disclosure it will be understood that the invention solves the problems mentioned in connection with the replacement of the work rolls in surface processing machine tools for plate- or strip-like work pieces. In particular, since the replacement of the work rolls may be frequently required in order to perform different kinds of machining operations, or to change damaged work rolls, the simplicity and quickness of the replacement operations with the device of the invention allows the maintenance time to be drastically reduced and makes the replacement operations required by the operator ergonomic and simple to perform.