US3345014A

US3345014A - Coil handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3345014A
Application number: US549740A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shearn John Underwood
Original assignee: Davy Loewy Ltd
Current assignee: Davy Loewy Ltd
Priority date: 1965-04-06
Filing date: 1966-04-04
Publication date: 1967-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-03
Also published as: GB1081581A; DE1599078A1

Description

Oct. 3, 1967 J. u. SHEARN 3,345,014

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l lNveNToR JOHN U. SHEARN I H15 ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1967 J. u. SHEARN con HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets$heet 2 Filed. April 4, 1966 INVEN'TOR JOHN U. '$HEARN BY 7% j G will ZY-HS ATTRNEY Get. 3, 1967 J. u SHEARN 3,345,014

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1966 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lmvam-roe JOHN U. .SHEARN HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,345,014 COIL HANDLING APPARATUS John Underwood Shearn, Shefiield, England, assignor to Davy and United Engineering Company Limited, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Filed Apr. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 549,740 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 6, 1965, 14,576/65 2 Claims. (Cl. 242-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to acoil car for conveying coils either to an uncoiler or from a coiler which conventionally is provided with a mandrel for a coil. The car is mounted for movement in the direction of the uncoiler/coiler mandrel axis between positions for transfer of a coil and a coil spool between the car and the mandrel, and for loading/unloading. The car has a carriage with a first surface for supporting a coil-spool, a. second surface for supporting a spool/coil, the surfaces being at dilferent levels, and means for moving the carriage upwardly or downwardly on the car to bring either a coil/ spool on the first surface into axial alignment with the mandrel for transfer therefrom or the second surface into a position for horizontal transfer of a spool/coil thereto.

This invention relates to conveyors and is particularly concerned with a coil car for conveying coils to an uncoiler or from a coiler, associated with a rolling mill. In the rolling of aluminium, in particular, it is the practice to carry each coil on a spool and an object of the' invention is to provide a coil car capable of handling both a spooled coil and an empty spool.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a coil car for conveying coils to an uncoiler or from a coiler is mounted for movement in the direction of the uncoiler/coiler mandrel axis between positions for transfer of a coil and a coil spool between the car and the mandrel, and for loading/unloading, and has a carriage with a first surface for receiving a coil, a second surface for receiving a coil spool, and means for moving the carriage on the car to bring either a coil on the first surface or a spool on the second surface into axial alignment with the mandrel.

Preferably, the carriage has two platforms located at different levels and adapted to support simultaneously the coil and the spool, and the moving means are arranged to move the carriage vertically to bring either of the platforms adjacent the mandrel end.

The invention will be more readily understood by way of example from the following description of a coil car for an aluminium mill, reference being made to the diagrammatic drawings, accompanying the provisional specification, in which:

FIGURES l and 2 are respectively a plan view and a side view of the mill and the uncoiler,

FIGURE 3 is a side view on larger scale of the coil car, and

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line IV1V of FIG- URE 3.

Although the drawings illustrate the coil car associated with the uncoiler of the mill, it will be appreciated that an exactly similar coil car may be, and preferably is, also associated with the coiler.

In FIGURES l and 2, the mill is shown at 12 as having a pair of work rolls 13 and back-up rolls 14. At the ingoing side of the mill 12 there is an uncoiler 15 .(not shown in FIGURE 2) having an expandable mandrel 16 and a spool stripper plate 17 surrounding the mandrel 16 3,345,014 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 and driven axially of the mandrel by a hydraulic ram 18. At the outgoing side of the mill there is a similar coiler indicated generally at 20 and having an expandable mandrel 21 (which is the only part of the coiler 15 shown in FIGURE 2). w

Extending parallel to, and at either side of the mandrel 16 of the uncoiler 15 are a pair of rails 22 which, as shown in FIGURE 4 guide a coil car 23. This coil car has a pair of parallel plates 24 which are braced together and each of which carries a pair of wheels 25 running in the rails 22. The car 23 includes a carriage which is arranged to move vertically relative to the plates 24. The carriage I to receive a coil 35 arranged on a spool 36. On the lower part of the brackets 32, there is a similar saddle element 37 bridging the two brackets 32 and adapted to receive and support an empty spool, shown in chain line at 38.

By virtue of the rails 22 the carriage 23 is movable between a position adjacent the free end of the mandrel 16, where the platforms formed by the saddles 34, 37 are aligned in the same vertical plane as the axis of the mandrel 16, and a loading position, as shown in FIG- URE 1, aligned with a walking beam bed 40 for supplying coils to the car, and an inclined spool ramp 41 which extends on one side of the mill 12 and which conveys empty spools from the uncoiler for use at the coiler 20. The walking beam bed 40 is of known form and consists of a pair of parallel fixed beams 42, 43 to which are secured at intervals pairs of saddles 44. Between fixed beams 42, 43 there is a moving beam 45 supported on rollers 46. Each of the rollers 46 is carried on a triangular mounting 47 which at its lower extremity is pivoted to a beam 48 and which at its upper left hand corner, as viewed in FIGURE 2, is pivoted to a fixed point. Beam 48 can be moved lengthwise by a ram 50, while the beam 45 can similarly be moved lengthwise by a further ram (not shown). The beam 45 carries saddles, similar to those shown at 44 and spaced at the same intervals. The walking beam bed operates in known manner, i.e. to move a coil one position along the fixed beams 42, 43, the beam 48 is moved to the right, causing beam 45 to rise and lift the coil from the saddles 44. When so elevated the beam 45 is moved from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 2 through a distance equal to the spacing of the saddles 44, and the beam 48 is then retracted to lower the coil on to the next pair of the saddles 44.

The sequence of operation for removing a spent spool from the mandrel 16 and thereafter placing a new coil on the mandrel is as follows:

The car 23, having a new coil on the upper saddle 34, is moved on the rails 22 up to the mandrel 16. The ram 28 is operated to elevate the carriage, so that the saddle 37 is aligned with the mandrel 16. The mandrel is collapsed and the stripper plate 17 operated to remove the empty spool from the mandrel on to the saddle 37. The cylinder 28 is now operated to lower the carriage and to bring the axis of the new coil 35 into alignment with mandrel 16, whereupon car 23 is traversed along the rails 22 to place the coil on the supporting mandrel. The mandrel is then expanded and the carriage is lowered a few inches by operation of the cylinder 28, leaving the coil supported on the mandrel, and the car is withdrawn to the loading position shown in FIGURE 2.

In order to load a new coil into the car, the carriage, with the spool 38 still carried on saddle 37 is lowered a few inches. During this lowering operation, the protruding end of the spool 38 still carried on saddle 37 engages a stop, (not shown), which flips the spool of the saddle 37 onto the ramp 41, which guides the spool to a receiving location 51 for use on the coiler 20'. When the upper saddle 34 has been lowered to the same level as the saddles 44, the walking beam bed is operated as previously described to transfer the coil on the leading pair of saddles 44 to the saddle 34. Finally, the cylinder 28 is operated to raise the carriage until the saddle 37 is at the proper height to receive a spool from the mandrel 16, and the car is moved transversely to the position adjacent the mandrel 16 ready for the next changeover.

Although not illustrated, motor driven rollers may be provided on, or in place of, the saddle 34 to support the coil and to rotate the coil about its axis when so supported.

When a similar car is provided for coiler 20, the sequence of operation is generally similar to that previously described, but the order is modified in that a coil is transferred from mandrel 21 to the car and an empty spool is then transferred from the car to the mandrel.

As will be appreciated the use of the carriage 23 facilitates and more importantly expedites the location of a new coil on the mandrel 16 on the exhaustion of the previous coil.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A coil car for conveying coils to an uncoiler or from a coiler having a mandrel for a coil wherein the car is mounted for movement in the direction of the uncoiler/coiler mandrel axis between positions for transfer of a coil and a coil spool between the car and the mandrel, and for load/unloading, and the car has a carriage with a first surface for supporting a coil/ spool respectively, a second surface for supporting a spool/coil respectively, the surfaces being at different levels, and means for moving the carriage upwardly or downwardly on the car to bring either a coil/ spool on the first surface into axial alignment with the mandrel for transfer therefrom or the second surface into a position for horizontal transfer of a spool/coil thereto.

2. A coil car according to claim 1 wherein the car has sides formed by a pair of vertical plates and the carriage comprises a horizontal plate, a pair of coil and spool support brackets to provide the said first and second surfaces which brackets are supported by the horizontal plate, and vertical legs extending from the underside of the horizontal plate which are movable between, and guided by, the vertical plates as the carriage is moved upwardly or downwardly, the means for moving the carriage comprising a ram operatively connected to the underside of the horizontal plate and supported by the vertical plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,527,667 10/1950 Wood 242-79 2,734,405 2/1956 Cozzo 24279 X FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Examiner.

N. L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A COIL CAR FOR CONVEYING COILS TO AN UNCOILER OR FROM A COILER HAVING A MANDREL FOR A COIL WHEREIN THE CAR IS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE UNCOILER/COILER MANDREL AXIS BETWEEN POSITIONS FOR TRANSFER OF A COIL AND A COIL SPOOL BETWEEN THE CAR AND THE MANDREL, AND FOR LOAD/UNLOADING, AND THE CAR HAS A CARRIAGE WITH A FIRST SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A COIL/SPOOL RESPECTIVELY, A SECOND SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A SPOOL/COIL RESPECTIVELY, THE SURFACES BEING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE CARRIAGE UPWARDLY OR DOWNWARDLY ON THE CAR TO BRING EITHER A COIL/SPOOL ON THE FIRST SURFACE INTO AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE MANDREL FOR TRANSFER THEREFROM OR THE SECOND SURFACE INTO A POSITION FOR HORIZONTAL TRANSFER OF A SPOOL/COIL THERETO.