Strip Edge Shaping Apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for shaping the edges of advancing sheet or strip in which cutting discs are mounted to cut a light bevel from the upper and lower edges of the strip and wherein provision is made to apply fluid under pressure to aid in the removal of the scrap material from the strip.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The preparation of sheet or strip for a coating operation such as hot dip galvanizing requires that the slit edges be free from burrs which unavoidably result from slitting and/or trimming. Insufficient removal of burrs from the strip edges results in a buildup of coating material at the edges which causes the strip to spool when a compact coil is wound.

Attempts have been made to eliminate the detrimental effects of the rough burred edges of slit strip such as e.g. rolling the burr flat with the strip or brushing the burrs from the strip. However, all of the previous attempts have failed to completely eliminate the burrs and the effect of coating buildup. Furthermore, the burrs when removed from the strip edges by prior art practice have created a scrap problem requiring the additional step of scrap removal.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide apparatus for thoroughly removing the burred edges from advancing metal strip and at the same time eliminating the scrap resulting therefrom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a burr free edge which prevents coating material buildup.

It is still another object of the invention to provide apparatus which is readily adjustable to varying widths and conditions of strip.

It is another object to provide a method for treating the edges of advancing strip so that a tightly wound, compact neat package of coiled strip can be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus for accomplishing these objects combines adjustable means for applying cutting tools to the upper and lower edges of advancing sheet or strip with additional means for cleaning the cut burrs from the strip surface. The apparatus is adapted to compensate for variations and imperfections in the strip width to avoid damage to either the machine or the strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a strip processing line incorporating the apparatus of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 3 with some portions removed for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a strip edge before treatment by the instant invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the strip edge of FIG. 4 after treatment and coating.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 there is shown an arrangement of a portion of a strip processing line, e.g. galvanizing line, in which the instant invention is incorporated. The strip 10 is seen advancing through the processing line in the direction indicated by an arrow. Strip 10 passes the side trimmer 11 where the strip is trimmed to the desired width. The side trimming operation results in a burr being formed on the edges of the strip as seen in FIG. 4. The strip then advances to the strip edge shaping apparatus 12 where the burred edge is eliminated according to the instant invention. The continuously advancing strip then passes through pinch rolls 13 on its travel through additional processing steps and finally the recoiling stand.

The strip edge shaping apparatus 12 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises two carriages 14, one on either side of the advancing strip 10. Each carriage 14 is mounted on stationary frame 15 adapted to move laterally toward the strip as will be explained subsequently in more detail. Although the preferred embodiment pictures the operation of two carriages, it is obvious that where it is desired to shape only one edge of the strip, the invention is equally applicable. Stationary frame 15 comprises a top plate 21, two side member 22, rail members 17.

Carriage 14 which is adapted for lateral adjustment with respect to strip 10 comprises two spaced apart side plates 24 with a pair of opposed rolls 33 and 34 mounted therebetween and a backwall 44. The carriage 14 is supported from the frame 15 on wheels 16 which are mounted on the side plates 24 and ride on rails 17 which are affixed to stationary frame 15. The wheels 16 are grooved to fit the contour of the head of rail 17 to assure proper alignment of the apparatus with the strip edge.

The carriage 14 is provided with adjustment means 23 which comprises a shaft 25 threaded at one end and provided with a hand operating wheel 26, the threaded portion passing through a tapped hole in frame member 27. The other end of shaft 25 protrudes into the carriage through an opening 20 in the backwall 44 of carriage 14. A collar 31 is affixed to the carriage end of shaft 25 by means of a set screw. Spring holder 29 is fixedly mounted on the back of carriage backwall 44 concentric with hole 20. Spring holder 28 is slidably mounted on shaft 28 in spaced relation to spring holder 29 and is positioned thereon by collar 32 affixed to shaft 25 by a set screw. A coil spring 30 is mounted between the two spring holders 28 and 29 to provide means to bias the carriage 14 toward the strip edge. Collars 31 and 32 may be moved with respect to each other to adjust the compression in coil spring 30. It is thus seen that the operation of the hand wheel 26 in either direction with the spacing between collars 31 and 32 properly set will cause movement of the carriage toward or away from the strip edge to afford adjustment for varying widths of strip. It is further evident that variations in tracking or imperfections in the edges of the advancing strip 10 will be automatically adjusted for by the free movement of the spring biased carriage between the collars 31 and 32 on shaft 25. Possible damage to the strip and/or the apparatus is thus avoided.

Upper roll 33 and lower roll 34 are mounted in opposed relation, as hereinbefore noted, on the carriage 14 between side plates 24. In FIGS. 2 and 3 the roll shafts are seen to extend through the side plates where they are suitably journalled in bearings. Upper roll 33 is seen to have a gear 35 on one end meshing with a like gear 36 on the same end of lower roll 34. Lower roll 34 is provided with a sprocket 37 on the opposite end. The sprocket 37 is driven through chain 38 and drive sprocket 39 which is mounted on the output shaft of a drive means, e.g. an air motor (not shown). It is clear that through this arrangement a clockwise motion applied to the lower driven roll 34 will result in a counter-clockwise rotation of the upper roll 33 and also that the converse is true, i.e. a counter-clockwise motion of the lower roll will result in clockwise motion of the upper roll. For the purposes of this invention it is important that the counter-rotating rolls are driven to rotate in a direction from the edge of the strip toward the center as will be clear from the operation of the invention hereinafter described.

Mounted on the upper and lower roll shafts are a plurality of cutting discs 41 arranged to be staggered with respect to and overlap each other. The discs 41 shown in the preferred embodiment are plain faced, hardened tool steel cutting discs.

There is mounted on the carriage 14 adjacent the upper and lower rolls means for applying a fluid under pressure adjacent the edges of the strip for the purpose of clearing from the strip the debris created by the cutting action of the discs in contact with the upper and lower edges of the strip. The means comprises air manifold pipes 42 mounted on the carriage 14 between side plates 24 and provided with discharge openings 43 adapted to be directed toward the strip edges. While the preferred embodiment is directed to an air manifold having ports for the discharge of fluid under positive pressure it is clear that a manifold adapted for the collection of debris by suction (vacuum) in a negative pressure situation might also be used. An added benefit of the positive pressure system and to a limited extent, a vacuum system, is the circulation of fluid around the cutting edges lending a cooling effect thereto resulting in added life to the cutting discs.

In operation: a continuously advancing metal strip 10 is fed from a slitter or edge trimmer 11 past the edge shaping apparatus 12 on the way to further processing and eventual recoiling. As the sheet passes the edge shaping apparatus 12 the edges of the strip are contacted lightly by upper and lower cutting discs which have been previously adjusted to accommodate the width of strip being processed. A slight bevel cut is made in each upper and lower edge as seen in FIG. 5 to eliminate the burred condition of the strip pictured in FIG. 4 and further to provide a shape to the edge of the strip which will allow a more even coating 46 thereon thus eliminating the tendency for a buildup of coating material to form on the edge surfaces of the strip. As the burrs are removed and a slight cut is taken a certain amount of debris in the form of curls and chips of metal occurs and because of the direction of rotation of the cutting discs is deposited on the surface of the strip in a direction toward the center of the strip. The fluid under pressure applied by the air manifolds toward the edges tends to collect the debris at the edges adjacent the rotating discs and the continuously moving strip carries it past the apparatus where motion created by the fluid under pressure carries it off the sheet into a scrap pit beneath the apparatus.

The instant invention eliminates a long standing problem of providing a strip clear of burrs with an edge shaped to provide a uniform coating across the sheet and eliminating the entrapment of metal chips resulting from the removal of burrs which cause damage to the surface of the strip in coiling if not completely removed therefrom.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the specific expedients disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shaping the edges of advancing metal strip comprising:

a. a carriage mounted for straight line movement toward and away from a side of said strip,

b. a first cutting tool mounted on said carriage and adapted to contact a first edge of said side of said strip,

c. a second cutting tool mounted on said carriage adapted to contact a second edge of said side of said strip,

d. resilient means to bias said carriage toward said side of said strip, and

e. means mounted on said carriage and adapted to apply fluid under pressure adjacent the edges of said strip.

2. Apparatus for shaping the edges of advancing metal strip comprising:

a. a carriage mounted for straight line movement toward and away from a side of said strip,

b. a pair of opposed rolls mounted one above the other on said carriage and adapted to be driven to counter-rotate in a direction from a side toward the center of said strip on axes which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and having a plurality of discs thereon, the discs on one of the rolls being staggered with respect to and overlapped with the discs on the other roll,

c. resilient means to bias said carriage toward a side of said strip, and

d. means mounted adjacent to and adapted to project fluid under pressure toward the edges of said strip.