Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TU_RE'r S'r~CKhR
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to material transporting
devices, and in particular to a device for relocating stacks
of material from one position to a second position. In the
disclosed embodiment, the invention pertains to equipment
for handling coils of slit metallic sheet material.
In the coil slitting and processing industry, and as
set forth in somewhat greater detail in the following
description of the preferred embodiment of the invention,
large rolls of sheet material are unrolled, then passed
through a slitter which longitudinally cuts the sheet
material into a plurality of thinner strips of metal, then
recoiled, and then handled downstream as required, normally
by stacking, palletizing and weighing.
U.S. Patent No. 3,861,536, assigned to the assignee of
the present invention, describes one type of device for
transporting coils of material and stacXing the coils onto a
turntable, the stacked coils being later removed from the
turntable at one or more locations. The transporting device
of this patent, while representing a significant advance
over stacking equipment then in existence, itself can prove
to be a bottleneck in a complete line for slitting and
processing metal coil since the stacker must reciprocate
between an inlet conveyor and the turntable directly beneath
the stacker. Thus, while material is being lowered to the
turntable, upstream coils are prevented from entering the
stacker until the stacker returns to a position to accept
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the next coil or several coils of material.
Surnmary of the Invention
The transporting device according to the invention
eliminates the above-delineated deficiencies of the prior
art and other by providing an apparatus which, at one side,
can accept incoming coils of material while, at the same
time, the other side can independently place previously
retrieved coils onto a turntable or other conveying
equipment. Thus, the invention is able to perform two
functions simultaneously which, in accordance with the prior
art, could be accomplished only in serial fashion.
In accordance with the invention, a transporting device
is provided comprising a stationary central support pedestal
and a rotatable turret situated at the top of the pedestal.
The turret includes at least two arms, each of which extends
radially outwardly from the pedestal. A lifting and
stacking mechanism is located beneath each arm. The turret
is rotated by driving means situated in the pedestal and
attached to the turret.
The lifting and stacking mechanism includes a support
for the coiled material, means to raise and lower the
material support, and means to enlarge and contract the
material support to accommodate coils of varying diameters.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the material
support comprises a beam beneath each arm and a pair of
carriages movable along the beam in opposite directions,
each of the carriages including rests for holding material
to be relocated by the transporting device.
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In order to raise and lower the beam, a clouble acting
cylinder is connected between each he~am and its associated
arm. ~ pair of upstanding guides are attached to opposite
ends of the top of the beam and extend through corresponding-
guideways formed in the arm in order to guide the beam as it
is raised and lowered.
The invention includes a motor mounted on the beam to
enlarge and contract the material support. The motor is
drivingly attached to the carriages by an endless chain
passing over sprocXets at opposite ends of the beam, one
side of the chain being attached to one of the carriages and
the other side of the chain being attached to the other of
the carriages such that rotation of the chain in one
direction drives the carriages toward one another and
rotation of the chain in the opposite direction drives the
carriages away from one another.
Each of the rests attached to each carriage comprises a
leg pivotally affixed to the carriage. A double acting
cylinder is connected between the carriage and the leg for
pivoting of the leg toward and away from material to be
transported. With the legs pivoted away from the material,
the material support can be raised and the turret rotated,
leaving the material at a desired location for further
handling.
While the rotatable turret may include more than two
arms, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
turret comprises two arms. The arms are oppositely
situated, comprising opposite halves of an elongated frame.
One arm is therefore situated to receive a coil of material,
while the other is situated to simultaneously place a
previously-received coil of material onto a downstream
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turntable for further handling and transportation.
If desired, the rotatable turret can comprise any
number of such arms in order to handle a greater
number of coils of material at any one time.
Thus, according to the present invention, there
is provided a transporting de~ice for relocating
material from one position to a second position. The
transporting device comprises a stationary central
support pedestal with a rotatable turret situated at
the top of the pedestal. The turret includes at least
two arms each of which extends radially outwardly
from the pedestal. A material support for each arm,
a means to raise and lower the arm to raise and lower
the material support, and a means to enlarge and
contract the material support to accommodate material
of varying horizontal dimensions are provided. A
bearing means is located between the pedestal and the
turret to facilitate rotation of the turret, and a
driving means is situated in the pedestal and attached
to the turret to rotate the turret.
The material support of the transporting device
comprises a beam beneath the arm and a pair of carriages
movable along the beam in opposite directions. The
carriages include rests for holding material to be
relocated.
Each of the rests of the carriages comprises a leg
pivotally attached to the carriage, and further includes
a means connected between the carriage and the leg for
pivoting the leg toward and away from the material to
be transported.
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Brief Description of the Drawing~
One embodiment o~ the invention is set forth in greater
detail in the following description of the preferred
embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a typical
coil slitting, processing and pacXaging line including the
transporting device according to the invention,.
Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational illustration,
with portions in cross section, illustrating the
transporting device according to the invention,
Figure 3 is a top plan illustration of the coil
transporting device of Figure 2,
Figure 4 is an enlarged end illustration of the coil
lifting and stacking mechanism, and
Figure 5 is a top schematic illustration of the means
for enlarging and contracting the material support, appearing
with Figure 1.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the
drawings. Turning first to Figure 1, a typical line for
coil slitting, processing and pac~aging is depicted. Of
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course, depending on the ~artic~ r rc~ irelnellts of the
user, other equipment components might be employ~d in the
line of equipment.
The line begins with an uncoiler 10 having a mandrel 12
upon which coils 14 of sheet metal are mounted for
downstream processing. A coil car 16, carrying another coil
14, is employed to reduce line downtime as one coil 14 is
exhausted and another situated in its place upon the mandrel
12.
Sheet metal 18 is withdrawn from the coil 14 within the
uncoiler 10 and passed through a crop shear 20. The shear
20 is activated periodically to sever the metal sheet 18
into predetermined lengths.
From the crop shear 20, the sheet 18 passes throuyh a
slitter 22, such as the turret-type slitter described in
U.S. Patent No. 3,727,503, assigned to the assignee of the
present invention. In the slitter 22, the metal shect 18 is
slit into a plurality of ribbons of metal 24 of desired
widths. The metal ribbons 24 are then rewound into
individual coils in a recoiler 26.
Often, although the great majority of the sheet 18 i8
slit in the slitter 22, a small marginal edge portion is not
desired and it is, therefore, directed to a scrap winder 28
where it is collected and later removed for disposal.
Coils are removed from the recoiler 26 onto a transfer
horn 30. ~he transfPr horn 30 includes one or more lateral
arms 32 which, when aligned with the recoiler 26, permit an
overarm separator 34 to remove one or ~nore coils from the
recoiler 26 onto the arm 32. Coils on the arms 32 of the
transfer horn 30 are removed by a downender 36, which
receives individual coils from the transfer horn 30 in their
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vertical orientation and reclines the coil~ to a hori~ontal
orientation.
From the downender 36, individual coils are conveyed to
a banding machine 38. The individual coils are banded with
metal strapping or the like in the banding machine 38 and
the banded coils, one of which i5 shown at 40 in Figure l,
are then conveyed to a transporting device 42 according to
the invention.
In the transporting device 42, individual coils are
removed from the upstream conveyor and are placed upon skids
44 situated on a turntable 46. As many coils as desired are
stacked on each skid 44 by the transporting device 42 and
then the turntable 46 is indexed a desired amount (90
degrees in the turntable 46 illustrated), in order to place
a succeeding skid 44 beneath the transporting device 42.
From the turntable 46, the stacks of coils 40 pass on
to a scale conveyor 48 where the individual coil stacks are
weighed. Finally, the coil stacks pass on downstream for
banding, shipping, or other handling as required.
Figures 2 through 5 illustrate the transporting device
42 in greater detail. The transporting device 42 includes,
as primary components, a stationary central support pedestal
50, a rotatable turret 52 situated at the top of the
pedestal 50 and a pair of lifting and stacking mechanisms 54
extending from each arm of the turret 52.
The pedestal SO has an integral base 56 which sits upon
a factory floor or some other substantial location. Gussets
58 may be employed to strengthen the junction between the
pedestal 50 and base 56 and assure rigid placement of the
pedestal 50.
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The pedestal S0 includes a horizontal plate 60 attached
near the top, such as by wel~1ln~, bolting, or other
appropriate means~ A driving means i9 attached to the plate
60 and the turret 52 for rotation of the turret. In the
embodiment illustrated, the driving means comprises a rotary
hydraulic actuator 62 attached by bolts 64 to the plate 60.
A coupling 66 joins the output shaft of the actuator 62 to a
shaft 68 affixed to a plate 70 securely attached to the
turret 52. A ring bearing 72 is situated between the plate
70 and the top of the pedestal 50 to support the turret 52
and permit location of the turret by the hydraulic actuator
62.
The actuator 62, which is conventional, is designed to
rotate its output shaft in predetermined increments, such as
180. Reverse actuation of the actuator 62 causes return
rotation. Thus, in the embodiment of the invention
illustrated in the drawings, when the actuator 62 is
activated, the turret 52 is therefore rotated 180~. Reverse
activation of the actuator 60 causes the turret 52 to rotate
180~ in the opposite direction. Of course, if desired, the
actuator 62 can be replaced by a motor or other driving
means which can rotate the turret 52 in desired increments
in one direction rather than the two-directional rotation of
the actuator 62.
The rotatable turret 52 is comprised of a pair of
vertically oriented support members 74 which are joined by a
pair of horizontally oriented support members 76. The
support members 74 and 76 preferably are made of metal and
are joined at their abutting locations by welding or other
appropriate means to form a box beam. The metal thickness
of the support members 74 and 76 depends on the material to
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be supported and handled by the liti.nc3 ~nd st.l(ki.ng
mechani.sm 54.
As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the turret 52
is symme~rically situated upon the support pedestal 50, each
half of the turret 5~ therefore comprising an arm which
extends radially outwardly from the pedestal 50. Each of
the arms is the sole support for each ~f the lifting and
stacking mechanisms 54. Of course, depending upon the
requirements of the transporting device 42, the rotatable
turret 52 can be composed of more than two arms, the number
of arms being determined by the requirements of the
transporting device 42. Normally, however, since materials
of great weight are handled by the transporting device 42,
the arms of the rotatable turret 52 are symmetrically
situated to provide the best possible weight distribution.
Each of the lifting and stacking mechanisms 54 is
composed of a beam 78 beneath the rotatable turret 52.
Similar to the structure of the rotatable turret 52, and as
best illustrated in Figure 4, the beam 78 cornprises a pair
of vertical support members 80 separated by a pair of
horizontal support members 82.
The beam 78 is supported beneath the turret 52 by a
double acting cylinder 84. The shaft 86 of the cylinder 84
is attached to the top horizontal support member 82 of the
beam 78. The housing of the cylinder 84 is firmly mounted
to and through the two horizontal support members 76 of the
turret 52.
A pair of guides 88 are attached to opposite ends of
the top hori~ontal support member 82 of the beam 78. The
guides 88 pass through guideways 90 situated in the
rotatable turret 52 between the spaced horizontal support
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members 76. Thus, as the cylinder ~4 i6 actllated to raise
and lower the beam 78 (actuating mcans not illustr~ted), the
guides ~8 assure that the beam 7~ is firmly aligned directly
beneath the rotatable turret 52.
The lifting and stacking mechanism 54 also includes a
pair of carriages 92 mounted on the beam 78. ~s shows in
greatest detail in Figure 4, each of the carriages 92 is
composed of a pair o~ vertical plates 94, the spacing of
which is maintained by a separator 96. Each of the vertical
plates 94 includes wheels 98 which are rotatably mounted
upon shafts 100 and which bear on opposite edges o~ the
vertical support members ~0. Shoes 102, attached to the
plates 94 and butting against the vertical support members
80, maintain the proper orientation of the carriage 92 on
the beam 78.
Each of the carriages 92 includes a pair of downwardly
depending legs 104. Legs 104 are pivotally mounted on a
central axle 106 which pass,es through and is firmly attached
to the base of the vertical plates 94. Spacing of the legs
104 is maintained by a brace 108.
A double acting cylinder 110 is mounted between each of
the vertical plates 94 and legs 104 in order to permit
pivoting of the legs 104 toward and away from the coils 40
(Figure 1). Means for actuating the cylinders 110 is not
illustrated, but is conventional. As best shown in Figure
4, one end of each of the cylinders 110 is pivotally
attached to a brac~et 112 affixed to a vertical plate 94.
The opposite end of the cylinder 110 is attached to a
U-shaped bracXet 114 which~ in turn, is pivotally attached
to a bar 116 affixed to the leg 104. Thus, actuation of the
cylinder~ 110 will cause the legs 104 to pivot about the
axles 106.
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The two carriages 92 on each l~eam 7~ are driven toward
and away from each other in orde~r to accormnodate coils 40 of
varying diameter~. ~ motor 118 is located within the beam
78, at one end thereof, and i8 drivingly attached to a
sprocket 120. A similar sprocket 122 is located at the
opposite end of the beam 78. An endless chain 124 passes
over the sprockets 120 and 122. The chain is attached to
one of the vertical plates 94 in each of the carriages 92 on
opposite sides of the beam 78. Thus, as shown in Figure 4,
the chain 124 is attached to the left vertical plate 94 by
means of an anchor 126. The chain is not attached to the
right vertical plate 94. In the corresponding carriage 92
at the opposite end of the beam 78, the chain 124 is
attached to an anchor 128 attached to the right vertical
plate 94. Thus, as best shown in Figure 5, when the motor
11~3 is driven in one direction, by virtue of the location of
the anchors 126 and 128 on opposite sides of the carriages
92, the carriages are driven toward each other. When the
motor is driven in the opposite direction, the carriages 92
are driven away from one another. Thus, the spacing between
the carriages 92 on each of the beams 78 can be enlarged or
contracted to accommodate material of various diameters.
Each of the legs 104 includes rests 130 for support of
the coils 40. As shown in Figure 2, the rests 130 may be
tapered to help the rests 130 slip beneath the coils 40 when
the legs 104 are pivoted to the vertical position.
As shown in Figures 2 and 4, each separator 96 extends
vertically downwardly from the carriage 92. The separators
96 serve as limits for the carriages 92 so that the
carriages 92 can be drawn toward each other only to the
limit of the diameter of the coil 40 located between the
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separators 96. The separator~ 96, when drawn ~g~lin~t a coil
40, also help stabilize the coil when it i8 raised and
transportea.
As shown in Figures 1 through 3, the transporting
device 42 is situated to relocate the coils 40 from an
upstream conveyor and place them on skids 44 located on the
turntable 46. The coils enter the transporting device 42 on
a conveyor section 132. Then, with the legs 104 separated a
sufficient distance, either by pivoting of the legs 104, or
by separating of the carriages 92, or a combination thereof,
the cylinder 84 is activated and the beam 78 is lowered.
The carriages 92 and legs 104 are appropriately adjusted so
that -the rests 130 are located beneath the coil 40. Then,
the cylinder B4 i3 again activated to raise the coil 40
above the conveyor section 132 to the position shown in
Figure 2.
With the coil 40 firmly held in place, the actuator 62
is activated, rotating the turret 180-. The sequence is
then reversed. The cylinder 84 is activated to lower the
coil 40 onto the skid 44. The legs 104 are then pivoted and
the cylinder 84 is reactivated to raise the beam 78 above
the coil. The actuator 62 is then again activated to return
the turret 180~ to pick up the next coil 40 from the
conveyor section 132. Of course, at the same time, while
one coil 40 is being lifted from the conveyor section 132,
another is being lowered onto a skid 44 on the turntable 46.
Normally, the coils 40 enter the transporting device 42
on the conveyor section 132 in a single file fashion.
~owever, one or more of the coils 40 may be stacked on one
of the sXids 44. Accordingly, after a desired number of
coils 40 are stacXed on a skid 44, the turntable 46 is
indexed a sufficient amount to locate another skid 44 in
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place for receiving of the coil.s 40. In the c~x;lMple f.hown
in Figure 1, indexing would normally be 90~, altho~gh,
depending on several factors including the size of the
turntable and the next desired location for the coil 40,
indexing can be as much rotation of the turntable 46 as
required. ~le number of coils 40 stacked upon a skid 44 is
dictated only by the thickness of the coils and the limiting
height of the lifting and stacking mechanism 54 when raised
to its full extent within the rotatable turret 52.
Various changes may be made to the invention without
departing from the spirit thereof or scope of the following
claims.
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