U.S. patent number 10,830,536 [Application Number 15/921,841] was granted by the patent office on 2020-11-10 for roller transport assembly for transporting rollers to and from a roller hearth furnace.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ford Motor Company. The grantee listed for this patent is Ford Motor Company. Invention is credited to Frank Bishop, Elizabeth Bullard, James Engle, Thomas Kendall.
United States Patent |
10,830,536 |
Engle , et al. |
November 10, 2020 |
Roller transport assembly for transporting rollers to and from a
roller hearth furnace
Abstract
A roller transport assembly includes a cart assembly and a
roller carriage assembly. The roller carriage assembly is slidably
mounted to the cart assembly and has at least one chamber for
housing a roller. Each of the chambers includes a linear rail
extending along a first axis and a roller coupling device attached
to and slidable along the linear rail. The roller coupling device
is operable to couple to the roller and move the roller along the
first axis adjacent and parallel with the linear rail.
Inventors: |
Engle; James (Chesterfield,
MI), Bishop; Frank (Wales, MI), Bullard; Elizabeth
(Royal Oak, MI), Kendall; Thomas (Saline, MI) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ford Motor Company |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Ford Motor Company (Dearborn,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005173046 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/921,841 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190285345 A1 |
Sep 19, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F27B
9/30 (20130101); F27B 9/2407 (20130101); F27D
3/026 (20130101); C21D 9/0012 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F27B
9/30 (20060101); F27D 3/02 (20060101); F27B
9/24 (20060101); C21D 9/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;414/591,265
;105/404 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0033845 |
|
Aug 1981 |
|
EP |
|
0101931 |
|
Mar 1984 |
|
EP |
|
2002285246 |
|
Oct 2002 |
|
JP |
|
20100117353 |
|
Nov 2010 |
|
KR |
|
Primary Examiner: Myers; Glenn F
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burris Law, PLLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A roller transport assembly comprising: a cart assembly; and a
roller carriage assembly slidably mounted to the cart assembly, the
roller carriage assembly including a frame and having at least one
chamber to hold a roller, wherein the at least one chamber includes
a linear rail extending along a first axis and a roller coupling
device attached to and slidable along the linear rail, and the
roller coupling device is operable to couple to the roller and move
the roller along the first axis adjacent and parallel with the
linear rail and below the linear rail, and the linear rail of each
of the at least one chamber is arranged and connected to the
frame.
2. The roller transport assembly of claim 1, wherein the cart
assembly includes a body and a plurality of wheels attached to the
body, the plurality of wheels includes at least one pair of rail
wheels operable to move along a rail extending along a second axis
transverse the first axis.
3. The roller transport assembly of claim 1, wherein the cart
assembly further includes a carriage support mechanism having a
pair of linear bearings that are arranged on opposite sides of the
cart assembly, and the roller carriage assembly is mounted on the
carriage support mechanism and is slidable along the first axis by
way of the carriage support mechanism.
4. The roller transport assembly of claim 1 further comprising a
height adjustment mechanism disposed on the cart assembly and
operable to adjust a height of the cart assembly.
5. The roller transport assembly of claim 1 further comprising at
least one heat shield positioned at and extending along one or more
of the at least one chamber.
6. The roller transport assembly of claim 1, wherein the roller
carriage assembly includes four of the chambers.
7. The roller transport assembly of claim 1 further comprising one
or more roller guides disposed at each of the at least one chamber
and attached to the frame adjacent to the linear rail.
8. The roller transport assembly of claim 1, wherein the roller
coupling device includes a roller holder and a handle member
connected to the roller holder, the roller holder includes an
engagement head operable to engage with an inner diameter of the
roller, and the handle member is attached to the linear rail and is
operable to move along the linear rail.
9. A roller transport assembly comprising: a cart assembly
comprising a body and a carriage support mechanism mounted on the
body, wherein the carriage support mechanism is operable to slide
along a first axis; and a roller carriage assembly mounted on the
carriage support mechanism, and including a frame and a plurality
of chambers, wherein each of the plurality of chambers includes a
linear rail and a roller coupling device, the linear rail is
attached to the frame and extends along the first axis, and the
roller coupling device is attached to the linear rail and is
operable to slide along the linear rail, wherein the roller
coupling device includes a roller holder and a handle member
connected to the roller holder, the handle member is attached to
the linear rail and is operable to move the roller holder along the
first axis adjacent and parallel with the linear rail.
10. The roller transport assembly of claim 9, wherein the cart
assembly includes a plurality of wheels attached to the body, the
plurality of wheels includes at least one pair of rail wheels
operable to move along a rail extending along a second axis
transverse the first axis.
11. The roller transport assembly of claim 9, wherein the carriage
support mechanism includes a pair of linear bearings that are
arranged on opposite sides of the cart assembly.
12. The roller transport assembly of claim 9 further comprising at
least one heat shield positioned at and extending along one or more
of the plurality of chambers, wherein each of the at least one heat
shield is pivotably attached to the frame of the roller carriage
assembly.
13. The roller transport assembly of claim 9 further comprising one
or more roller guides disposed at each of the plurality of chambers
and attached to the frame adjacent to the linear rail.
14. A hearth furnace roller transport assembly comprising: a cart
assembly; a roller carriage assembly slidably mounted to the cart
assembly, the carriage assembly having multiple chambers, wherein
each of the chambers includes a linear rail extending along a first
axis and a roller coupling device slidable along and adjacent to
the linear rail, and the roller coupling device includes a roller
holder operable to couple to and decouple from a roller; and at
least one heat shield positioned at and extending along one or more
of the multiple chambers, wherein each of the at least one heat
shield is pivotably attached to the roller carriage assembly.
15. The hearth furnace roller transport assembly of claim 14,
wherein the cart assembly further includes a pair of linear
bearings arranged on opposite sides of the cart assembly along the
first axis, and the roller carriage assembly is mounted on the pair
of linear bearings.
16. The hearth furnace roller transport assembly of claim 14
further comprising one or more roller guides disposed at each of
the chambers and attached to the roller carriage assembly adjacent
to the linear rail.
17. The hearth furnace roller transport assembly of claim 14,
wherein the cart assembly includes a plurality of wheels, and the
plurality of wheels includes at least one pair of rail wheels
operable to move along a rail extending along a second axis
transverse the first axis.
Description
FIELD
The present disclosure relates to transferring rollers to and from
a roller hearth furnace.
BACKGROUND
The statements in this section merely provide background
information related to the present disclosure and may not
constitute prior art.
A roller hearth furnace includes multiple rollers (e.g., ceramic
rollers) that are arranged side-by-side along the length of the
furnace, and operable to rotate and move a component through the
furnace. The roller hearth furnace, which may also be referred to
as a hearth oven, can reach temperatures of approximately
930.degree. C. (1706.degree. F.).
At times, the rollers undergo a maintenance procedure in which an
old roller within the furnace is exchanged with a new roller. Such
maintenance procedures may be performed when the furnace is at high
temperatures, which can be a challenge due to the hot temperatures
of the rollers. In one removal method, one operator pushes one end
of the roller from one side of the furnace, and two to three other
operators cradle and pull the roller from the other side of the
furnace. In this method, the hot roller is unguarded as it is
removed from the furnace, and has the potential of falling onto the
ground. These and other issues are addressed by the present
disclosure.
SUMMARY
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is
not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its
features.
In one form, the present disclosure is directed toward a roller
transport assembly that includes a cart assembly and a roller
carriage assembly that is slidably mounted to the cart assembly.
The roller carriage assembly has at least one chamber to hold a
roller, and each of the at least one chambers includes a linear
rail extending along a first axis and a roller coupling device
attached to and slidable along the linear rail. The roller coupling
device is operable to couple to the roller and move the roller
along the first axis adjacent and parallel with the linear
rail.
In another form, the cart assembly includes a body and a plurality
of wheels attached to the body. The plurality of wheels includes at
least one pair of rail wheels operable to move along a rail
extending along a second axis transverse the first axis.
In yet another form, the cart assembly further includes a carriage
support mechanism having a pair of linear bearings that are
arranged on opposite sides of the cart assembly. The roller
carriage assembly is mounted on the carriage support mechanism and
is slidable along the first axis by way of the carriage support
mechanism.
In one form, the roller transport assembly further includes a
height adjustment mechanism disposed on the cart assembly and
operable to adjust a height of the cart assembly.
In another form, the roller transport assembly further includes at
least one heat shield positioned at and extending along one or more
of the at least one chambers.
In yet another form, the roller carriage assembly includes four of
the chambers.
In one form, the roller carriage assembly further includes a frame,
and the linear rail of each of the at least one chamber is arranged
and connected to the frame.
In another form, the roller transport assembly further includes one
or more roller guides disposed at each of the at least one chamber
and attached to the frame adjacent to the linear rail.
In yet another form, the roller coupling device includes a roller
holder and a handle member connected to the roller holder. The
roller holder includes an engagement head operable to engage with
an inner diameter of the roller, and the handle member is attached
to the linear rail and is operable to move along the linear
rail.
In one form, the present disclosure is directed towards, a roller
transport assembly that includes a cart assembly and a roller
carriage assembly. The cart assembly includes a body and a carriage
support mechanism mounted on the body. The carriage support
mechanism is operable to slide along a first axis. The roller
carriage assembly is mounted on the carriage support mechanism, and
includes a frame and a plurality of chambers. Each of the plurality
of chambers includes a linear rail and a roller coupling device.
The linear rail is attached to the frame and extends along the
first axis, and the roller coupling device is attached to the
linear rail and is operable to slide along the linear rail.
In another form, the cart assembly includes a plurality of wheels
attached to the body, and the plurality of wheels includes at least
one pair of rail wheels operable to move along a rail extending
along a second axis transverse the first axis.
In yet another form, the carriage support mechanism includes a pair
of linear bearings that are arranged on opposite sides of the cart
assembly.
In one form, the roller coupling device includes a roller holder
and a handle member connected to the roller holder. The handle
member is attached to the linear rail and is operable to move the
roller holder along the first axis adjacent and parallel with the
linear rail.
In another form, the roller transport assembly further includes at
least one heat shield positioned at and extending along one or more
of the plurality of chambers. Each of the at least one heat shield
is pivotably attached to the frame of the roller carriage
assembly.
In yet another form, the roller transport assembly of claim 10
further includes one or more roller guides disposed at each of the
plurality of chambers and attached to the frame adjacent to the
linear rail.
In one form, the present disclosure is directed toward a hearth
furnace roller transport assembly that includes a cart assembly and
a roller carriage assembly slidably mounted to the cart assembly.
The roller carriage assembly includes multiple chambers, and each
of the chambers includes a linear rail extending along a first axis
and a roller coupling device slidable along and adjacent to the
linear rail. The roller coupling device includes a roller holder
operable to couple to and decouple from a roller.
In another form, the cart assembly further includes a pair of
linear bearings arranged on opposite sides of the cart assembly
along the first axis, and the roller carriage assembly is mounted
on the linear bearing.
In yet another form, the hearth furnace roller transport assembly
further includes one or more roller guides disposed at each of the
chambers and attached to the roller carriage assembly adjacent to
the linear rail.
In one form, the hearth furnace roller transport assembly further
includes at least one heat shield positioned at and extending along
one or more of the multiple chambers. Each of the at least one heat
shield is pivotably attached to the roller carriage assembly.
In another form, the cart assembly includes a plurality of wheels,
and the plurality of wheels includes at least one pair of rail
wheels operable to move along a rail extending along a second axis
transverse the first axis.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the
description provided herein. It should be understood that the
description and specific examples are intended for purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the
present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now
be described various forms thereof, given by way of example,
reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a roller transport assembly in accordance
with the teachings of the present disclosure;
FIGS. 2A and 2B is a front view of the roller transport assembly of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the roller transport assembly of FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a roller coupling device of the roller
transport assembly in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure; and
FIG. 5 is a front view of the roller coupling device of FIG. 4.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only
and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure
in any way.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not
intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It
should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding
reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and
features.
The present disclosure is directed towards a roller transport
assembly that is configured to transport a roller to and from a
roller hearth furnace. As described herein, the roller transport
assembly includes a rail guided cart that includes multiple
chambers for supporting the rollers. These and other features of
the roller transport assembly will now be described with reference
to the drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, a roller transport assembly 100
of the present disclosure is operable to transfer one or more
rollers 102 to and from a hearth furnace 104. The furnace 104 holds
each roller 102 in a designated compartment that is accessible
along sides 108A and 108B of the furnace 104.
In the following, the transport assembly 100 may be described in
reference to three orthogonal axes. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2A
illustrate a first axis A1, a second axis A2, and a third axis
A3.
In one form, the transport assembly 100 includes is a cart assembly
110 and a roller carriage assembly 112 slidably mounted to the cart
assembly 110. The cart assembly 110 is configured to support and
align the roller carriage assembly 112 relative to the furnace 104,
and the roller carriage assembly 112 is configured to engage with a
roller and slidingly move the roller to/from the furnace along the
first axis.
The cart assembly 110 includes a body 120, multiple wheels 122
(122.sub.1, 122.sub.2, 122.sub.3 in figures) attached to the body
120, a carriage support mechanism 124, and a height adjustment
mechanism 130 mounted on the body 120. In one form, the cart
assembly 110 includes four wheels 122 (only 122.sub.1, 122.sub.2,
and 122.sub.3 are illustrated in figures) that move the transport
assembly 100 along a floor 126. At least one pair of wheels are
provided as rail wheels. More particularly, to align the transport
assembly 100 along the longitudinal side of the furnace 104 (e.g.,
second axis), the cart assembly 110 includes two rail wheels
(122.sub.1 and 122.sub.2 in FIG. 2A) that are moveable along a rail
128 that extends parallel to the length of the furnace 104.
Accordingly, with the rail wheels 122.sub.1 and 122.sub.2
positioned within the rail 128, the cart assembly 110 is positioned
transverse to the longitudinal side of the furnace 104 to access
the rollers. The cart assembly 110 is also positioned a set
distance away from the furnace 104, which is controlled by the
location of the rail 128 relative to the furnace 104.
In one form, the cart assembly 110 includes the height adjustment
mechanism 130 to control the height of the cart assembly 110 in a
direction along the third axis. In one form, the height adjustment
mechanism 130 is a hydraulic pump device, a manually mechanical
device with a rotatable armature configured to increase/decrease
the height of the body, and/or other suitable mechanism.
The carriage support mechanism 124 is operable to move the position
of the roller carriage assembly 112 along the first axis. In one
form, the carriage support mechanism 124 includes a pair of linear
bearings 132A and 132B that are arranged on opposite sides of the
cart assembly 110 and are collectively referred to as linear
bearings 132. Each of the linear bearings 132 include a guide rail
134 (134A and 134B in figures) and at least one bearing 136 (136A
and 136B in figures) that slide along the guide rail 134. The guide
rails 134 are attached to the body 120 and the roller carriage
assembly 112 is attached to the bearings 136. Accordingly, the
roller carriage assembly 112 is slidable along the first axis to
align with a compartment having a roller.
The carriage support mechanism 124 further includes a brake device
138 operable to control the movement of the roller carriage
assembly 112. Specifically, the brake device 138 is operable in an
engaged state to prevent the roller carriage assembly 112 for
moving along the linear bearing or a disengaged state to allow
movement of the assembly 112. The brake device 138 may be provided
as a clamp for controlling position of a linear bearing, a pin
insert lock, and/or other suitable lock for controlling movement of
the roller carriage assembly 112.
Referring to FIGS. 2-3, the roller carriage assembly 112 has one or
more chambers for housing one or more rollers. More particularly,
in one form, the assembly 112 includes a frame 150 and four
chambers 152.sub.1 to 152.sub.4 supported by the frame 150. The
chambers 152.sub.1 to 152.sub.4 are collectively referred to as
chambers 152. In one form, each chamber 152 is configured to
include a linear rail 160 (160.sub.1 to 160.sub.4 in figures), one
or more roller guides 162, and a roller coupling device 164
(164.sub.1 to 164.sub.4 in figures). While four chambers are
illustrated, the roller carriage assembly can be configured to
include less than or more than four chambers.
The frame 150 is attached to the linear bearings 132A and 132B of
the carriage support mechanism 124. In one form, the frame 150
includes a pair of handle bars 165A and 165B provided on either
side of the frame 150 to slide the frame 150 and thus, the roller
carriage assembly 112 along the first axis (FIG. 3). The roller
guides 162 are distributed at each chamber 152 and connected to the
frame 150 to provide support for the roller.
The linear rails 160 extend along the first axis, and are mounted
on the frame 150. In one form, the linear rails 160 are arranged in
pairs such that the linear rails 160 in a pair are face opposite
directions. For example, linear rail 160.sub.1 and 160.sub.2 form a
first pair and the linear rails 160.sub.3 and 160.sub.4 form a
second pair. The linear rails 160.sub.1 and 160.sub.2 are attached
to the frame 150 via a first support member 166.sub.1, such that
the rails 160.sub.1 and 160.sub.2 are arranged on opposite sides of
the first support member 166.sub.1. In a similar manner, the linear
rails 160.sub.3 and 160.sub.4 are attached to the frame 150 via a
second support member 166.sub.2. In one form, each of the first and
second support members 166.sub.1 and 166.sub.2 include at least two
brackets or posts that are configured to elevate the linear rails
160 above the frame 150 and align the linear rails 160 along the
first axis. In another form. each linear rail 160 may be attached
to the frame 150 by a separate support member, and may not share a
support member with another linear rail 160.
Each linear rail 160 includes the roller coupling device 164, which
is attached to the linear rail 160 and is operable to slide along
the linear rail 160. More particularly, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5,
each linear rail 160 includes one or more ribs 169 extending
longitudinally along the rail 160 to slidably hold the roller
coupling device (see FIG. 5).
The roller coupling device 164 includes a roller holder 170 to
engage and disengage with the roller, and a handle member 172 to
move the roller holder 170 along the linear rail 160. The roller
holder 170 includes an arm 174, an engagement head 176 protruding
from the end of the arm 174, and a lock 178. In one form, the
engagement head 176 has a hexagon shape to engage with an end of
the roller. The lock 178 is connected to the engagement head 176 by
way of a rod 180, and is operable to place the engagement head 176
in a lock position or in an unlock position. More particularly, in
one form, the rod 180 is fixedly attached to the lock 178 and the
engagement head 176, and extends through the arm 174. The lock 178
is rotatable in the clockwise and counter clockwise directions
(e.g., rotates 90 degrees), and when rotated, the engagement head
176 also rotates by way of the rod 180. For example, FIG. 5
illustrates the roller coupling device 164 when viewed from the
head 176. A dashed-dot-dashed circle represent an end of the roller
102, and the head 176 is substantially concentric with a center of
the roller 102. In this example, the lock 178 is set at position A
to have the engagement head 176 in the lock position, and set at
position B to have the engagement head 176 in the unlock position.
Here, position A and B are separated by approximately a 90-degrees
rotation of the lock 178.
In the lock position, the engagement head 176 forms an interference
fit with an inner diameter of the roller to hold or grip the
roller. In the unlock position, the engagement head 176 forms a
lose fit with the inner diameter to release the roller. The roller
holder 170 may be configured in other suitable ways to engage and
disengage with the roller. For example, the holder 170 may not
include an arm but just the rod extending between the lock and the
engagement head. Also, the engagement head 146 may be another shape
and should not be limited to a hexagon shape.
The handle member 172 extends from the roller holder 170, and is
configured such that the roller holder 170 is provided adjacent to
the linear rail 160. The handle member 172 includes a rail bracket
182 that interfaces with the linear rail 160, and a handle 184 that
extends from the rail bracket 182. In one form, the rail bracket
182 include one or more grooves 186 that engage with one or more
ribs 169 of the linear rail 160. The rail bracket 182 is configured
to slide along the linear rail 160 in response to a force applied
to the handle 184 by a user. More particularly, the user may exert
a push or pull force on the handle 184 to move the rail bracket
182, and thus, the roller holder 170 along the linear rail 160.
Referring to FIGS. 2-3, in one form, one or more chambers 152 of
the roller carriage assembly 112 includes a heat shield 190 that
extends longitudinal along the roller carriage assembly 112 to form
a barrier between the roller 102 and the surrounding environment.
Specifically, at times, a roller is removed from the furnace 104
when the furnace 104 is in operation and thus, the roller may be at
a high temperature (e.g., 1700 degrees Fahrenheit). The heat shield
190 forms a barrier between the hot roller and, for the example, an
operator. In the figures, the heat shield 190 is provided at the
chambers 152.sub.2 and 152.sub.3. The heat shield 190 may be
provided at any of the chambers 152, and while two of the chambers
are shown as having the heat shield 190, one or more of the
chambers 152 may include the heat shield 190.
In one form, the heat shield 190 includes a pair of shield members
192A and 192B that are opposed to each other, and attached to the
frame 150. The pair of shield members 192A and 192B define a gap
193 therebetween to accommodate the roller coupling device 164 that
extends between the shield members 192A and 192B, such that the
roller holder 170 is positioned in cavity 194 formed by the 192A
and 192B. The shield members 192A and 192B are pivotably mounted to
the frame 150 via one or more hinges 196 to allow the operator to
gain access to the cavity 194, which is configured to house the
roller. The heat shield 190 may include a single pair of shield
members 192A and 192B that are configured to extend longitudinally
along the roller carriage assembly 112. Alternatively, the heat
shield 190 may include multiple pairs of shield members 192A and
192B that are arranged along the longitudinally axis of the roller
carriage assembly to form the cavity 194. In one form, each of the
shield member 192A and 192B may be made of a rigid material (e.g.,
metal) that is filed with insulation. Other suitable materials may
be used.
An example operation of the roller transport assembly is now
provided. In one form, the roller transport assembly 100 is mounted
with one or more new rollers to replace one or more rollers from
the furnace. For example, if two rollers are to be replaced, two
new rollers are mounted at two of the chambers 152, such that each
roller is supported by the roller guides 162, extends
longitudinally along the roller carriage assembly 112, and is
disposed adjacent to the linear rail 160 of the chamber 152. In one
form, the roller transport assembly 100 may be moved to a holding
area having the rollers to acquire the new rollers. Alternatively,
the new rollers may be moved to the area having the furnace 104 and
the roller transport assembly 100.
With the new rollers mounted and the rail wheels 122.sub.1 and
122.sub.2 aligned in the rail 128, the roller transport assembly
100 is moved along the second axis to the compartment that has one
of the rollers to be replaced (i.e., "old roller" hereinafter).
More particularly, if chambers 152.sub.1 and 152.sub.4 have the new
rollers, chambers 152.sub.2 and 152.sub.3 are empty to receive the
old rollers. Accordingly, one of the empty chambers 152 of the
roller carriage assembly 112 is aligned with the compartment of the
old roller.
To gain access to the ends of the roller, an operator may need to
remove a panel provided outside the compartment along sides 108A
and 108B of the furnace 104. In addition, if the height of the
roller carriage assembly 112 is not aligned with the opening of the
compartment, the height of the roller transport assembly 100 is
adjusted by way of the height adjustment mechanism 130.
With the brake device 138 of the carriage support mechanism 124
disengaged, the roller carriage assembly 112 is slidingly moved in
front of the opening of the compartment by way of the carriage
support mechanism 124. Once aligned, the brake device 138 is set to
the engaged position to prevent the carriage support mechanism 124
from moving.
The roller coupling device 164 of the empty chamber 152 is moved to
one end of the roller, and the engagement head 176 is positioned
within the end of the roller and set in the lock position by way of
the lock 178. In one form, a first operator is positioned at side
108A to operate the roller coupling device 164 and a second
operator is at side 108B at the other end of the roller. In
cooperation, the first operator slides the roller coupling device
along the linear rail 160 away from the furnace 104 to pull the old
roller out while the second operator uses a tool to push the old
roller out or the furnace 104. The old roller slides onto the
roller carriage assembly 112, and is supported by the roller guides
162. In the example provided, the old roller is positioned in one
of chambers 152.sub.2 and 152.sub.3, which include the heat shield
190 to form a barrier around the old roller.
To install the new roller, the chamber 152 having the new roller is
aligned in front of the compartment opening. In one form, a ring
may be positioned at the opening of the compartment to protect a
coating provide on the surface of the new roller. The roller
coupling device 164 attached to the new roller is then pushed along
the linear rail 160 to push the new roller in the compartment. Once
positioned, the engagement head 176 is unlocked to release the
roller coupling device 164 from the roller. The process to remove
the old roller and install the new roller can be repeated again for
the remaining rollers. It should be readily understood that the
example operation above is just one method for exchanging rollers
using the roller transport assembly of the present disclosure, and
other suitable steps may be used.
The roller transport assembly of the present disclosure is
configured to facilitate alignment of the roller as the roller is
being removed from or installed in the furnace, and thus inhibits
damage to the walls of the furnace or even the roller. In addition,
by housing the rollers, the roller transport assembly secures the
position of the rollers to prevent breakage and provide an
unobstructed environment about the furnace. These and other
features are provided by the roller transport assembly of the
present disclosure.
The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature
and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the
disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure.
Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the
spirit and scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *