Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METEIOD AND S~STEM FOR FEEDING A COIL OF METAL STRIP TO
AN UN--S~OILER A~D UN-COILING TI~E METAL STRIP
. ~ACP;GROUND OF TE~E INVENTI~N
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a
method and system for feeding a coil, such as a metal
strip coil, to an un-coiller. More specifically, the
invention relates to a method and system applicable for
un-coiling of a metal strip for supplying it to a
continuous treatment line, such as pickling line or
plant, a mill or so forth.
Description of the Background Art
In recent years, there have been developed and
proposed a plurality of types of system for continuous
processing of metal strip, or sheet. In order to supply
a metal strip to a continuous processing line to be
treated, a metal strip coil has to be un-coiled or
unwound as the metal strip therefrom is fed into the
treatment line. In order to do this an un-coiler is
provided at upstream end of the treatment line. The
un-coiler first frees the end of the metal strip from
the coil or in other words "opens the coil" and
thereafter performs the un-coiling operation.
In such a conventional system, the
coil-opening operation p~rformed by the coil opener
takes a relatively long time which increases the overall
process time. For example, in a conventional line, it
takes about 180 sec. from the time the previous coil
becomes spent to the time a new coil is opened and strip
from the new coil is fed to the process line. In
comparison to this, the overall process time required
for treatment of the metal strip is about 300 sec. The
un-coiling operation time generally becomes as
"loss-time" in the metal strip treatment process.
Therefore, the ratio of loss-time to process time is
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about 37.S%. This can be improved by providing a
plurality of un-coilers. When two or more un-coilers
are provided, the efficiency of un-coiling operations
can be improved by arranging by performing coil-opening
operation for one un-coiler while the other un-coiler is
un-coiling~ Thus by providing two un-coilers in the
line, loss-time can be shorted to about llO sec. and the
loss-time ratio can be reduced at about 26.8%.
However, providing two or more un-coilers
requires more space and cost move. Additionally, the
un-coiling line contruction becomes more complecated
requiring additional facilities for selectively feeding
the coils the un-coilers.
In order to solve the aforementioned problem,
An improved system for continuously treating the metal
strip has been discussed in "Recent Cold Strip Plant and
Development of Manufacturing Techniques in This Country"
published by Japan Metal Association, on August 20,
1977. It discloses system for supplying a coil of metal
strip, which comprises means for transporting coil of
metal strip, a coil opener which releases the end of the
metal strip from the coil for un-coiling, and an
un-coiler.
As a typical coil-opener, Chizeru magnet
system coil-opner may be utilized for opening the coil.
The Chizeru magnet coil-opener comprises means for
driving the coil to rotate, a knife for peeling the end
of the metal strip from the coil and a magnetic chuck
for chucking the peeled end and feeding it to the
entrance of the treatment line. For example, the
magnetic chuck may feed the end of the metal strip into
a pinch roller of a tandem mill.
By employing the coil-opener, efficiency with
which the metal strip can be fed to the treatment line
iS increased. However, on the other hand, in order to
facilitate the coil-opener and to make the coil-opener
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cooperative with the uncoiler, additional facilities,
such as a walking-beam type conveyer for transporting
the metal strip coil, a.coil transporting means and a
coil lifting means or the combination thereof are
necessary. This makes the metal strip supply system for
the treatment line bulky.
SUMMARI OF T~E INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object o~ the present
invention to provide a metal strip supply system for an
0 uncoiler, which avoids the abovementioned drawbacks of
the conventional art set forth above.
Another and more specific object of the
invention is to provide a more efficient metal strip
supply system for a metal strip treatment process.
Further, it is an object of the invention to
provide a more compact metal strip supply system for a
metal strip treatment process.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and
other objects, a metal strip supply system, according to
the present invention, comprises a combination of an
uncoiler and a coil-opener which are arranged in series
with respect to the transporting line. A metal strip
coil is transported through the coil-opener to the
uncoiler. During travel from the coil-opener to the
uncoiler, the uncoiled end of the metal strip coil is
held open so that the uncoiler may be able to uncoil
without performing coil-opening operation.
According to one aspect of the invention, a
method for uncoiling and supplying a metal strip to a
metal strip treatment line, comprises the steps of:
supplying a coil of metal strip from a
direction perpendicular to feeding direction of the
uncoiling metal strip;
transporting the coil of metal strip to a
position facing a coil-opener, disposed adjacent a coil
transporting path for opening the coil;
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performing coil opening operation;
holding the strip end released from the coil
by means of the coil-opener, away from the coil;
transporting the opened metal strip coil while
holding the coil end away from the coil to an uncoiler,
setting it on the uncoiller; and
performing an uncoiling operation for
supplying the uncoiled metal strip to the metal strip
treatment line.
o In the preferred process. the coil opening
operation is performed on one coil while uncoiling
operation is performed on another coil. The coil of
metal strip is held with its centeral axis substantially
parallel to the rotation axis of the uncoiler.
Furthermore, in the preferred process, the
coil of metal strip is transported to the coil-opener
and to the uncoiler by means of a common coil
transporting means.
According to another aspect of the invention,
a system for uncoiling and feeding a metal strip to a
metal strip treatment line, comprises an uncoiler for
uncoiling the coil of metal strip for feeding the
uncoiled metal strip to the metal strip treatment line,
the uncoiler having a mandrel, the axis of which is
perpendicular to the feeding direction of supply of the
uncoiling metal strip, first means for transporting the
coil of metal strip from a supply station to a
coil-opening station, the first means holding the
central axis of the coil of metal strip essentially
parallel to the axis of the mandrel; second means,
provided in the coil-opening station, for opening the
coil, third means, associated with the second means, for
holding the strip end released from the coil by means of
the second means away from the coil, and fourth means
for transporting the opened coil of metal strip, while
. third means holds the strip end away from the
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coil, from the coil-opening station to an uncoiling
station where the uncoiler is provided, the fourth means
holding the axis of the coil of metal strip essentially
parallel to the axis of the mandrel.
In the preferred construction, the second
means and fourth means are symultaneously operable so
that the second means can perform coil opening operation
on one coil while the uncoiler performs uncoiling
operation on another coil. The first means and fourth
means transports the metal strip coil by means of a
common coil transporting means.
On the other hand, the common coil
transporting means comprises a coil car movable along a
transporting path extending in a direction that is
essentially parallel to the axis of the mandrel.
The coil car may have means for setting the
metal strip coil onto the second means and to the
uncoiler On the other hand, the second means may
comprise a driving means for supporting the coil of
metal strip and rotatingly driving the coil in a
predetermined direction, a guide means movable toward
and away from the coil of metal strip to contact the
Coil while the coil is rotating to release the strip end
from the coil. The second means further comprises
actuator means associated with the guide means for
moving the guide means toward and away from the coil of
metal strip. On the otner hand, the third means
comprises a holding means for holding the strip end and
transfer means supporting the holding means for movement
along the transporting path so that the holding means
moves therealong according to movement of the metal
strip coil by means of the fourth means.
BRIE:F DES(:RIPTION OF TBE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be understood more
fully from the detailed description given herebelow and
from the accompanying drawings of the preferred
embodiment of the invention, which, however, should not
be taken to limit the invention to the specific
embodiment but are for explanation and understanding
only.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred
embodiment of the metal strip uncoiling and supplying
system according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the preferred
o embodiment of the metal strip uncoiling and supplying
system of Fig. 1, as viewed along the arrow II;
Fig. 3 is a plan view showing arrangement
according to another embodiment of the metal strip
uncoiling and supplying system; and
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the metal strip
uncoiling and supplying system of Fig. 3.
DE~ CRTPTT()~ OP' T~F. PRF~E:RRF~D F.~ROI~IMl;~
Referring now to the drawings, particularly to
Figs, 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a metal strip
unCoiling and supplying system, according to the present
invention, is generally provided upstream of a metal
strip processing line, such as that of a pickling plant,
or rolling mill or so forth. The preferred embodiment
of the metal strip uncoiling and supplying system
includes an uncoiler 20 with a mandrel 21. The axis of
the mandrel 21 is perpendicular to the direction toward
which the uncoiled metal strip is supplied.
Coils of metal strip 22 are transported by
means of a coil transporting means which is generally
represented by the reference numeral 24. The coil 22 is
comprised of a metal strip wound in a per se well known
manner and has a central essentially circular hole. By
.
the transporting means 24 a path for the metal strip
coils 22, which extends substantially parallel to the
axis of the mandrel 21 is defined. During
transportation of the coils of metal strip to the
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uncoiler 20, the transporting means aligns the axes of
the central holes of the coils of metal strip with the
axis of the mandrel 21 of.the uncoiler 20.
A coil-opener 26 is provided in the
transporting path defined by the transporting means at a
position unstream of the uncoiler 20. The coil-opener
26 is designed to slightly uncoil or free the end of the
coiled metal strip so that the uncoiler 20 can easily
perform uncoiling operation. The coil-opener 26 has a
device 28 for holding the free end of the metal strip.
The device 28 will be hereafter referred to as "coil end
holder device".
The aforementioned transporting means
comprises a pair of stationary skids 30 which define the
aforementioned transporting path, and a plurality of
coil cars 32. The stationary skids 30 extend
substantially parallel to each other from a coil storage
area (not shown) to the uncoiler 20 so that the coil
cars 32 may move there along to supply the coils of
metal strip 22 to the uncoiler. As is well known, each
coil of metal strip 22 is lifted by means of a crane
from the coil storage area and mounted on the coil car
32. The coil car 32 is then driven along the stationary
skids in per se well known manner.
The coil car 32 has a lifter 34 for lifting
the coil of metal strip 22 mounted thereon. The lifter
34 is driven to set the coil of metal strip 22 on cradle
rollers 36 at a position opposing the coil opener 26 and
onto the mandrel 21 of the uncoiler 20.
As shown in Fig. 2, the coil-opener 26
incorporates the aforementioned cradle rollers 36. The
cradle rollers 36 are mounted on the stationary skids 30
with their rotational axes extending essentially
parallel to the stationary skids. Each of the cradle
rollers 36 is associated with a driving motor (not
~-~ shown) to be rotatingly driven by the latter in order to
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rotate the metal strip coil 22 set thereon.
A guide table 38 is provided facing the
periphery of the metal .strip coil 22 on the cradle
rollers 36. The guide table 38 is pivotably connected
to a pivotal arm 39 which is, in turn, pivotably
connected to a base 43. In other words, the guide table
38 is pivotable about a pivot 38a which is supported at
the free end of the pivotal arm 39. On the other hand,
the pivotal arm 39 is pivotable about a pivot 39a which
~o is supported by means of a mounting bracket 41 of the
base 43. I'he pivotal arm 39 is also connected to an
actuator 40. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator
40 comprises an air cylinder having a cylinder rod 40a
pivotably connected to the pivotal arm 39 in order to
allow relative angular displacement between the pivotal
arm 39 and the cylinder rod 40a about a pivot 40b. On
the other hand, the guide table 38 is associated with an
actuator 42. The actuator 42 preferably comprises an
air cylinder having a cylinder rod 41a pivotably
Connected to the guide table 38 in order to allow
relative angular displacement between the guide table 38
and the cylinder rod 41a about a pivot 41b. The air
cylinders 40 and 42 operate the pivotal arm 39 and the
guide table 38 so that the free end edge of the guide
table may contact with the periphery of coil of the
metal strip 22 for releasing the end of the metal strip
from the coil. The guide table 38, the pivotal arm 39
and the air cylinders 40 and 42 constitute a coil-
opening mechanism in the coil-opener 26.
The coil end holding device 28 is provided
above the cradle rollers 36. The coil end holding
device comprises a magnetic chuck 44. The magnetic
chuck 44 is suspended from a guide mechanism 46~ The
guide mechanism 46 includes a transfer beam 48 extending
along a section of transporting path of the coils of
; metal strip between the coil-opener 26 and the uncoiler
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20. A g~ide carridge 50 having rollers 50a engages with
the transfer beam 48 for movement along the latter. The
guide carridge 50 supports a vertical guide 53. The
vertical guide 53 comprises a cylindrical outer guide
53a and a cylindrical or rod form inner guide 53b which
is arranged coaxially within the outer guide. The outer
guide 53a is fixed to the guide carridge 50 at its top
end. On the other hand, the inner guide 53b is
thrustingly movable up or down. The inner guide 53b has
its lower end connected to the aforementioned magnetic
chuck 44 through a mounting bracket 53c. The mounting
bracket 53c has an extention 53d, to which the lower end
of a cylinder rod 52a of an actuator 52 is connected.
In the preferred construction, the actuator 52 also
comprises an air cylinder. The air cylinder 52 drives
the inner guide 53b of the vertical guide bearing the
magnetic chuck 44 up and down.
It should be appreciated that, though the
shown embodiment employs a magnetic chuck for holding
the coil end, it would be possible to use a cla~p or a
suction holder for holding the strip end released from
the coil 22.
In the operation of the above-mentioned
preferred embodiment of the metal strip supply system,
the metal strip coils 22 are continuously supplied to
the coil transporting means, The coil cars 32 of the
coil transporting means receive respective coils of
metal strip coil 22 to transport them along the
transporting path defined by the stationary skids 3~.
At this time, the coil of metal strip 22 on the coil car
32 is arranged so that the feed direction of the metal
strip uncoiled therefrom matches with the supply
direction of the metal strip treatment line at the
position of the uncoiler 20. Therefore, in the example
of Fig. 2, the coil of metal strip 22 is placed on the
- coil car so as to be unwound in a clockwise direction.
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At the position of the transporting path
opposite the coil-opener 26, the lifter 34 of the coil
car 32 is actuated to lift up the coil of metal strip 22
and set it onto the cradle rollers 36. Then, as shown
in Fig. 2 the cradle rollers 36 are driven in a
counterclockwise direction by means of the driving
motor. By driving the cradle rollers 36 in
counterclockwise direction, the metal strip coil 22 on
the cradle rollers 36 is driven to rotate in clockwise
direction.
As coil of the metal strip 22 driven to rotate
by the cradle rollers 36, the air cylinders 40 and 42
are actuated to pivotally move the pivotal arm 39 and
the guide table 38 so that the edge of the guide table
comes into contact with the periphery of the coil of
metal strip from the left side. The angular positions
of the pivotal arm 39 and the guide table 38 are
adjusted depending upon the diameter of the metal strip
coil 22, as shown by phantom lines in Fig. 2.
By contacting the edge of the guide table from
the left to the periphery of the coil of metal strip 22
which is rotating in clockwise direction, the edge of
the metal strip comes into contact with the edge of the
guide table thus separating it from the coil.
Therefore, the end of the metal strip can be freed.
Then, the air cylinder 52 is actuated to drive
the inner guide 53b of the vertical guide 53 downwards
to bring the magnetic chuck into contact with the freed
end of the metal strip, thereby allowing the magnetic
chuck 44 to magnetically hold the strip coil end.
After the magnetic chuck has grasped the coil
end, the lifter 34 of the coil car 32 is again actuated
to carry the coil of metal strip coil 22 toward the
Uncoiler 20. At the same time, the guide carriage 50
with the vertical guide 53 moves together with the coil
of metal strip 22 while holding the end of the strip by
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means of the magnetic chuck 44.
At the position opposite the uncoiler 20, the
lifter 34 of the coil car 32 is again actuated to bring
the center hole of the coil of metal strip 22 into
alignment with the the mandrel 21. The metal strip coil
22 is then set on the mandrel of the uncoiler 20. Then,
uncoiling operation is carried out by the uncoiler 20 in
a per se well known manner.
As one coil of metal strip coil is uncoiled by
the uncoiler 20, the next coil 22 is set on the
Coil-opener 26 to be opened.
It would be desirable to control operation
performed by the system such as driving of the coil
cars, and drive timing of the cradle rollers 36, air
cylinders 40, 42 and 52 and the lifter 34 of the coil
car by means of a controller which may comprise a
computer-based control unit. The coil cars 32 may be
controlled to stop at the position, at which the coil
cars receive the coils of metal strip supplied from the
coil storage area. On the other hand, the controller
may monitor the position of respective coil cars for
stopping a coil cars when it reaches the position of the
Coil-opener. After stopping the coil car 32 at the
coil-opening position, the controller feeds a drive
signal to the lifter 34 for setting the coil 22 onto the
cradle rollers 36. Setting of the coil of metal strip
22 onto the cradle roller 36 may be detected by means of
a coil sensor (not shown). Then, the controller feeds a
drive signal to the driving motor to rotatingly drive
the cradle rollers 36 to rotate the coil of metal strip
22 thereon. After starting rotation of the metal strip
coil 22 on the cradle rollers 36, the controller feeds
acutation signals to a pressure control unit (not shown)
for the air cylinders 40 and 42 to move the pivotal arm
39 and the guide table 38. During this movement, the
angUlar positions of the pivotal arm 39 and the guide
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table 38 may be feedback controlled utilizing sensors
(not shown) which directly detect the angular position
of the pivotal arm and the guide table, or, detect
pressure in the air cylinders for indirectly detecting
the the angular position or the pivotal arm and the
guide table. When the end of the coil of metal strip 22
is opened by means of the coil opening mechansim set
forth above, the controller detects this and stops the
rotation of the coil of metal strip. At the same time,
an actuation signal is fed to a pressure control unit
(not shown) for the air cylinder 52 to lower the
magnetic chuck 44. During this movement, the controller
may monitor the position of the magnetic chuck and
detect when the magnetic chuck is holding the freed end
of the coil. Thereafter, the controller again feeds a
drive signal for the lifter 34 to release the opened
coil of metal strip 22 from the cradle rollers 36. When
the controller has confirmed complete release of the
coil of metal strip from the cradle rollers 36 its
drives the coil car toward the uncoiler. The controller
detects the coil car reaching the uncoiler 20 to feed an
actuation signal to the pressure control unit for the
air cylinder 52 for adjusting the position of the coil
so that lt may be acuratel~ set on the mandrel. Setting
of the mandrel is confirmed. After this, a drive signal
is fed to the uncoiler for starting uncoiling operation.
With the controller set forth above, the
driving timing of each component of the metal strip
supply system may optimized.
As will be appreciated herefrom, a metal strip
supply system according to the present invention is
effective for continuously and efficiently uncoiling
coils of metal strip for allowing continuous operation
of a metal strip treatment line, such as a pickling
line, a rolling mill line or so forth with substantially
loss-time. Furthermore, according to the shown
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embodiment, since the same transporting means, i.e. coil
car, can be used before and after opening the coil, the
construction of the mçtal strip supply system is
simplifier and less expensive. Furthermore, since the
metal strip supply system has less components, it can be
made more compact.
Yigs. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of a
metal strip supply system, according to the invention.
In this embodiment, the coils of metal strip supplied
from the coil yard are transported to the coil-opening
- position by means of a walking beam 56 mounted on a
stationary skids 52. As shown in Fig. 4, the walking
beam 56 comprises a movable carriage 60 associated with
a drive cylinder 58. A walking beam body 66 is mounted
on the movable carriage 60 through lifting links 64. A
lifting cylinder 62 is connected to at least one of the
lifting links 64 for adjusting the position of the
walking beam body 66 relative to the movable carriage.
The coil-opener 26 and the strip end holding
device 28, which have the identical construction as set
out with respect to the former embodiment, are provided
at the coil-opening position. Therefore, at the
Coi1-opneing position, the coil of metal strip 22
transported b~ the walking beam 56 is set on the cradle
2~ rollers 54 supported by the stationary skids 52 for
performing the coil opening operation set forth above.
After the coil-opening operation, the metal
strip coil 22 is transferred with the coil end holding
device 28 by means of the walking beam 56, to the coil
car 32.
While the present invention has been disclosed
in terms of the preferred embodiment in order to
facilitate better understanding of the invention, it
should be appreciated that the inventior can be embodied
3~ in various ways without departing from the principle of
the invention. Therefore, the invention should be
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understood to include all possible embodiments and
modifications to the shown embodiments which can be
embodied without departing from the principle of the
invention set out in the appended claims.
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