Patent Publication Number: US-5895198-A

Title: Coil unloading rig

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a coil unloading rig to be received by a crane for transporting a coil of slit sheet steel from a vertical position to a horizontal position. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exists a need for a practical and economical coil handling mechanism for positioning, handling and/or transferring metal coils from one location to another, particularly in mills as well as warehouses. The problem of handling metal coils is accentuated by the fact that the coils may be stored or disposed with their axis vertically or horizontally, or may be received on a pallet or conveyor with the axis either vertical or horizontal. Therefore, the coil handling mechanism is required to be selectively tiltable and preferably constructed to be conveniently coupled with and transported by a ceiling crane. 
     Metallic strip material is normally coiled to enable this material to be handled, and transferred to another location either for further processing or for shipment to a customer. By reason of the orientation of processing lines, as for example, that of a coil slitting station, the coiled strip is disposed on a horizontal axis and supported on a horizontally extending mandrel. These coils, even after slitting, are extremely heavy. 
     Although the coils are wound and unwound on a horizontal axis or after slitting are disposed on a horizontal axis, it is preferred to store or prepare the coils for shipment to customers with their axis vertical. In this manner, the coils are stable and may be stacked upon one another on a shipping skid or pallet for shipping. 
     While it has been proposed in the industry to use tilters to tilt newly formed coils from a horizontal to a vertical axis after coiling and then from a vertical to horizontal axis for further processing, these mechanisms are heavy and expensive and many are fixed and not capable of being readily moved from one location to another in a mill or customer plant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A principal object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable coil unloading rig that is not heavy nor expensive but light enough in weight to be easily and safely moved and manipulated while being practical and inexpensive enough to be affordable by relatively small plants or shops that further process slit coils of varying reduced widths. 
     Another object is to provide a coil unloading rig of the foregoing type that is capable of moving a coil from a vertical orientation at which the coil axis is horizontal to a horizontal position at which the coil axis is vertical, all with little effort by only one individual which adds to the cost effectiveness of the rig. 
     A further object is to provide a coil unloading rig of the foregoing type that is readily coupled with conventional traveling cranes supported by overhead rails. 
     A specific object is to provide a simple yet rugged rig of the foregoing type that may be used in the removal of slit pancake coils from a rewind mandrel or turnstile transfer arm. 
     Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the sequence of positions of the coil unloading rig in transferring a coil from a horizontal mandrel to a shipping skid. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view showing the rig in a vertical position. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing the rig in a horizontal position. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view showing the rig in a vertical position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the drawings, an arcuate rail 10, possessing a T-beam cross section, is movably suspended by trolley 12 having spaced but coupled plates 14a, 14b having internally mounted pairs of wheels 16a, 16b and 18a, 18b. Arcuate flange 20 of rail 10 is interposed between wheels 16a, 16b and 18a, 18b for relative rotational or tilting movement. An upper pin 22 of the trolley 12 is adapted to be coupled with a crane hook 24 suspended by a chain 26 of a ceiling crane (not shown). 
     A central ring 28 is anchored to the rail 10 by a bottom brace 30 and a top brace 32 as, for example, by welds. These braces may possess a U-shaped or H-shaped cross section. Extending downwardly and outwardly from the ring 28 and suitably fixed thereto, such as by welding, are posts 34 and 36. Each post includes an elongated slot 34a and 36a and a series of circular recesses 34b, 36b, respectively. The slots receive the shank of a threaded bolt 34c, 36c which are threadedly received by tapped openings in coil clamping brackets 34d, 36d, respectively. This arrangement permits the brackets 34d, 36d to be raised or lowered to accommodate coils of different diameter. The threaded bolts 34c, 36c have a head 34e, 36e that conveniently mate with the circular recesses 34b, 36b in securing the selected position of the bolt 34c, 36c, and, consequently, the brackets 34d, 36d. Each bracket 34c, 34d has an upstanding flange 34f, 36f for cooperating in clamping or otherwise securing the coil 38 as shown in phantom in the drawings. 
     In order to complete the clamping of the coil 38, a vertically movable coil clamping bracket 40 is adapted to be secured to brace 32. In this regard, nut 42 fixed to the bracket 40 threadedly receives bolt 44 slidable in slot 32a of brace 32. A handle 46 facilitates the turning of bolt 44 which permits sleeve 48 to engage with surfaces of the brace 32 on each side of the slot 32a in anchoring bracket 40 in its coil clamping position as shown in FIG. 2. 
     In operation, and with specific reference to removal of a suitably banded slit pancake coil 38 from a rewind mandrel 50, the illustrated coil unloading rig is moved by a ceiling crane to a location near the mandrel 50. Handle 52 is grasped for facilitating the orientation of the rig 28 and braces 30, 32 in a vertical direction. The lower brackets 34d, 36d engage with and clamp the coil 38 by raising these flanges under the coil by the ceiling crane. Prior to this, the upper bracket 40 is raised by loosening the bolt 44 by turning the handle 46. When the lower brackets 34d, 36d have engaged with coil 38, the upper bracket 40 is lowered into coil clamping position at which time the bolt 44 is tightened by turning the handle 46 so sleeve 48 engages tightly with surfaces of brace 32. 
     The clamped coil 38 is then lifted off the mandrel 50 and then transferred to the desired location by the ceiling crane. If the coil 38 is to be placed on a shipping skid or pallet, the handle 52 is grasped and the rail is turned or tilted clockwise on the wheels 16a, 16b and 18a, 18b until the coil is horizontal facing downwardly. The ceiling crane then lowers the clamped coil 38 down onto the skid or pallet. The handle 46 is turned to unloosen bolt 44 to permit the clamping bracket 40 to be withdrawn from the coil. The entire rig is then moved to free brackets 34d, 36d from the coil 38. The foregoing operation may then be repeated to unload further coils from the mandrel 50 and stack them on the skid. 
     Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a single somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.