U.S. patent application number 11/011348 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for roll feeder with a traction unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELITE MACHINE AND DESIGN LTD.. Invention is credited to Chi-Min Ho.
Application Number | 20060123866 11/011348 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36582241 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060123866 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ho; Chi-Min |
June 15, 2006 |
Roll feeder with a traction unit
Abstract
A roll feeder for feeding a steel sheet to a processing machine
for processing is disclosed to include a rack, which has a hub that
supports a roll of steel sheet and is rotated to let off the steel
sheet, a roll feeding unit, which has sheet-transfer roller sets
for transferring the steel sheet from the rack to the processing
machine and a roller leveler for leveling the steel sheet, and a
traction unit, which is provided between the rack and the roll
feeding unit and controlled to pull the steel sheet from the hub to
the roll feeding unit.
Inventors: |
Ho; Chi-Min; (Chang Hua
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Assignee: |
ELITE MACHINE AND DESIGN
LTD.
Chang Hua Hsien
TW
|
Family ID: |
36582241 |
Appl. No.: |
11/011348 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
72/183 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21C 47/326 20130101;
B21C 47/18 20130101; B21C 47/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
072/183 |
International
Class: |
B21C 47/18 20060101
B21C047/18 |
Claims
1. A roll feeder comprising: a rack, said rack comprising a hub
adapted to support a roll of steel sheet and to let off the steel
sheet; a roll feeding unit adapted to transfer the steel sheet from
said rack, said roll feeding unit comprising sheet-transfer roller
set means adapted to transfer the steel sheet, and a roller leveler
adapted to level the steel sheet; and a traction unit provided
between said rack and said roll feeding unit and adapted to pull
the steel sheet from said hub to said roll feeding unit.
2. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said traction
unit comprises a track extending between said rack and said roll
feeding unit, and a tractor movable between two distal ends of said
track and adapted to pull the steel sheet from said hub to said
roll feeding unit.
3. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tractor
comprises jaw means adapted to seize the steel sheet from said
hub.
4. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tractor
comprises hook means adapted to catch the steel sheet from said
hub.
5. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said traction
unit comprises a material receiver, said material receiving having
a material entrance for receiving the steel sheet from said hub,
said material entrance having a width gradually increasing toward
said rack
6. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said traction
unit further comprises a plurality of sprockets arranged around
said track, a transmission chain mounted on said sprockets and
fastened to said tractor for moving said tractor along said track
upon rotation of said sprockets.
7. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tractor
comprises a body, said body having an opening, a toothed fixed jaw
and a toothed movable jaw provided inside the opening of said
body.
8. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 6, wherein said material
receiver comprises two swinging frames bilaterally pivoted to said
traction unit, said swinging frames each having a curved panel, the
two curved panels of said swinging frames being arranged in a
double-bevel manner.
9. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 7, wherein said toothed
movable jaw is pivotally mounted in the opening of said body.
10. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said traction
unit further comprises a plurality of guide rollers mounted in said
track and adapted to guide the steel sheet forwards.
11. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a
rammer installed in said track and adapted to flatten the steel
sheet.
12. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rammer
comprises a fixed bottom die, and a movable upper ramming die
vertically movable relative to said fixed bottom die.
13. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a
pressure roller installed in said track and adapted to stop the
steel sheet from curving upwards.
14. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tractor
comprises a peg adapted to hook in a hole in the lead end of the
steel sheet being let off from said hub.
15. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
sheet-transfer roller set means of said roll feeding unit comprises
a first sheet-transfer roller set and a second sheet-transfer
roller set, and said roller leveler is set between said first
sheet-transfer roller set and said second sheet-transfer roller
set.
16. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rack
further comprises an expander installed in said hub and adapted to
expand the roll of steel sheet being loaded on said hub.
17. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rack
further comprises limiter disposed at one side of said hub and
adapted to limit the position of the steel sheet being loaded on
said hub.
18. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rack
further comprises a holding down device disposed at one side of
said hub and adapted to hold down a roll of steel sheet on said
hub.
19. The roll feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rack
further comprises a lifting support spaced below said hub and
adapted to support the lead end of the steel sheet being loaded on
said hub.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a roll feeder for
feeding sheet material, and more particularly, to a roll feeder
with a traction unit.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional roll feeder, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a
rack 1, a roll feeding unit 2, a roller conveyer 3 provided between
the rack 1 and the roll feeding unit 2, and lifting support 4
mounted in the bottom side of the rack 1 and adapted to support the
steel sheet and the guide the steel sheet to the roll feeding unit
2.
[0005] This design of roll feeder has numerous drawbacks as
outlined hereinafter:
[0006] 1. Material feeding requires an experienced worker. When the
steel sheet 5 is let off from the rack 1, it is difficult to guide
and transfer the curved leading end of the steel sheet 5 to the
roll feeding unit 2. Only an experienced worker can properly
control the rack 1, the lifting support 4 and the guide frame 6 of
the roller conveyer 3 to transfer the steel sheet 5 to the roll
feeding unit 2 smoothly.
[0007] 2. It takes a long time to feed the material. During feeding
operation, the worker must carefully control the speed to let off
the steel sheet 5 and the lifting elevation of the lifting support
4 and the swinging angle of the guide frame 6 of the roller
conveyer 3 so that the steel sheet 5 can smoothly be guided into
the roller conveyer 3 and carried by the roller conveyer 3 to the
roll feeding unit 2.
[0008] 3. The lead end of the steel sheet 5 may curve upward during
delivery, causing an accident. When lifting the lifting support 4
to guide the lead end of the steel sheet 5 into the roller conveyer
3, the worker must control the air cylinder 7 to adjust the
swinging of the guide frame 6. In proper control of the guide frame
6 may let the lead end of the steel sheet 5 curve upward suddenly,
resulting in an accident.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances to provide a roller feeder, which eliminates the
aforesaid problem. It is therefore the main object of the present
invention to provide a roll feeder, which automatically pulls the
supplied steel sheet to the roll feeding unit for feeding to save
operating time. It is another object of the present invention to
provide a roll feeder, which automatically flatten the feeding
steel sheet, preventing the lead end of the steel sheet from
curving upwards.
[0010] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
the roll feeder comprises a rack, a roll feeding unit, and a
traction unit. The rack comprises a hub adapted to support a roll
of steel sheet and to let off the steel sheet. The roll feeding
unit is adapted to transfer the steel sheet from the rack,
comprising two sheet-transfer roller sets adapted to transfer the
steel sheet, and a roller leveler set between the two
sheet-transfer roller sets and adapted to level the steel sheet.
The traction unit is provided between the rack and the roll feeding
unit and adapted to pull the steel sheet from the hub to the roll
feeding unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side view of a roll feeder according to the
prior art.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side view of a roll feeder according to the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the present
invention, showing the tractor seized the lead end of the steel
sheet.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the present invention
showing the tractor pulled the steel sheet toward the roll feeding
unit.
[0015] FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the rammer
operated.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the present invention,
showing the steel sheet delivered through the traction unit, the
rammer, and the roll feeding unit.
[0017] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of the present
invention, showing an alternate form of the tractor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to FIG. 2, a roll feeder in accordance with the
present invention is shown comprised of a rack 10, a roll feeding
unit 20, a traction unit 30, and a rammer 40.
[0019] The rack 10 comprises a hub 11, an expander 12 provided at
the center of the hub 11 and adapted to expand and support a roll
of steel sheet on the hub 11, a limiter 13 disposed at one side of
the hub 11 and adapted to limit the position of the steel sheet on
the hub 11 by means of an air pressure, a holding down device 14
disposed at one side of the hub 11 opposite to the limiter 13 and
adapted to hold down the steel sheet on the hub 11, and a lifting
support 15 spaced below the hub 11 and adapted to support the steel
sheet. A respective air cylinder drives the holding down device 14
and the lifting support 15.
[0020] The roll feeding unit 20 is provided behind the rack 10,
comprising a first sheet-transfer roller set 21 and a second
sheet-transfer roller set 22 adapted to transfer the steel sheet
from the hub 11, and a roller leveler 23 provided between the first
sheet-transfer roller set 21 and a second sheet-transfer roller set
22 and adapted to level the curving part of the steel sheet.
[0021] The traction unit 30 is provided between the rack 10 and the
roller feeding unit 20 and adapted to pull the steel sheet from the
rack 10 toward the roller feeding unit 20.
[0022] The traction unit 30 comprises a material receiver 301,
which is a material entrance having a width gradually increasing
toward the rack 10, a track 31 extending from the material receiver
301 to the first sheet-transfer roller set 21 of the roller feeding
unit 20, a tractor 32 movable between two ends of the track 31 and
adapted to pull the steel sheet from the material receiver 301 to
the first sheet-transfer roller set 21 of the roller feeding unit
20, a plurality of sprockets 33 arranged around the track 31, a
transmission chain 34 mounted on the sprockets 33, a drive chain 36
coupled to one of the sprockets 33, a motor 35 adapted to drive the
drive chain 36, and a plurality of guide rollers 37 mounted in the
track 31 and adapted to guide the steel sheet forward.
[0023] The rammer 40 is installed in the track 31 and adapted to
flatten the steel sheet, comprising a movable upper ramming die 41,
a fixed bottom die 42, a first hydraulic cylinder 43 controlled to
reciprocate the movable upper ramming die 41 relative to the fixed
bottom die 42, a pressure roller 44 adapted to stop the
transferring steel sheet from curving upwards, a second hydraulic
cylinder 45 controlled to adjust the elevation of the pressure
roller 44, a motor 46, and a chain 47 driven by the motor 46 to
rotate the pressure roller 44.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 3, the tractor 32 comprises a body 321,
which has an opening 322 facing the material receiver 301, a fixed
jaw 323 fastened to the top side of the opening 322, a movable jaw
324 pivoted to the bottom side of the opening 322, and sprocket
means 341 provided at the body 321 and meshed with the transmission
chain 34 for enabling the tractor 32 to work with the sprockets 33
and the transmission chain 34. The fixed jaw 323 and the movable
jaw 324 have teeth for grasping the transferring steel sheet in the
opening 322.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, after loading of a roll of
steel sheet on the hub 11, the expander 12, the limiter 13, the
holding down device 14 and the lifting support 15 are respectively
operated. During continuous rotation of the hub 11 to let off the
steel sheet, the lead end A of the steel sheet falls to the lifting
support 15, which lifts the lead end A of the steel sheet to the
material receiver 301 of the traction unit 30. When the lead end A
of the steel sheet entered the opening 322 of the tractor 32 at the
first end of the track 31, the traction unit 30 is started to catch
the lead end A of the steel sheet with the fixed jaw 323 and the
movable jaw 324 and to further pull the lead end A of the steel
sheet forward. The material receiver 301 comprises two swinging
frames 302,303 respectively pivoted to the traction unit 30. The
swinging frames 302,303 have a respective curved panel 304,305
arranged in a double-bevel manner.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 4, during continuous rotation of the hub
11 of the rack 10, the steel sheet is gradually loosened from the
hub 11, and the tractor 32 pulls the lead end A of the steel sheet
to the first sheet-transfer roller set 21 of the roller feeding
unit 20. After the tractor 32 seized the lead end A of the steel
sheet, the swinging frames 302,303 are turned outwards relative to
each other to move the curved panels 304,305 apart, preventing
friction between the curved panels 304,304 and the transferring
steel sheet.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 5, during continuous operation of the
roller feeder, the lead end A of the steel sheet is moved through
the rammer 40. At this time, the first hydraulic cylinder 43 is
controlled to reciprocate the movable upper ramming die 41 relative
to the fixed bottom die 42 to ram the transferring steel sheet to a
flatten status, and at the same time the tractor 32 continuously
pulls the lead end A of the steel sheet to the first sheet-transfer
roller set 21 of the roller feeding unit 20. When the tractor 32 is
approaching the first sheet-transfer roller set 21 of the roller
feeding unit 20, the second hydraulic cylinder 45 is controlled to
press the pressure roller 44 on the transferring steel sheet
against the guide rollers 37 to prevent backward displacement of
the transferring steel sheet upon release of the tractor 32 from
the lead end A of the steel sheet.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 6, after having moved to the second end of
the track 31, the tractor 32 releases the transferring steel sheet.
Because the second end of the track 31 slopes at an angle, the
tractor 32 does not hinder forward delivery of the transferring
steel sheet. Following rotation of the hub 11 of the rack 10 and
the pressure roller 44, the lead end A of the steel sheet is moved
into the first sheet-transfer roller set 21 of the roller feeding
unit 20, and then leveled by the roller leveler 23 carried forwards
by the second sheet-transfer roller set 22 for further processing
by a processing machine.
[0029] FIG. 7 shows an alternate form of the tractor according to
the present invention. According to this embodiment, the lead end A
of the steel sheet has at least one hole A1, and the tractor 32 has
at least one peg 38 for engaging the at least one hole A1 upon
passing of the lead end A of the steel sheet into the traction unit
30.
[0030] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *