US2630931A - Manipulator for metal coils - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1953 s. S. DOUGLAS 2,630,931

' MANIPULATOR FOR METAL COILS I Filed Sept. 26, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR s. S. DOUGLAS MANIPULATOR FOR METAL COILS March 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1949 INVENTOR March 10, 1953 s. SQDOUGLAS MANIPULATOR FOR METAL coILs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 26. 1949 I I mm b zm+ G N II R RT! R .m. i w V\ WM E- m .U .H m NN wq "MSW QWQMQ qwaw |N VENTOR Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANIPULATOR FOR METAL COILS Samuel S. Douglas, Oil City, Pa. Application September 26, 1949, Serial No. 117,819

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a device or apparatus for manipulating or handling metal coils, and particularly, to apparatus for handling hot or cold metal strip coils in amill.

Previous to the present invention, considerable dificulty has been experienced in the positioning, handling, and transferring metal coils from one location to another in the mill, e. g., from the mill to a warehouse and vice versa, or from the floor of the mill or of a warehouse to a processing apparatus and vice versa. It has been customary to provide a conveyer, tilter or turner, another conveyer and an up-ender in an aligned relationship along the mill fioo-r for handling coils. This layout arrangement is expensive, is limited in its field of use, uneconomical as to space, and complioates the mill layout. Additional difficulty has been experienced due to the fact that in some cases each coil is stored with its axis extending horizontally and in other cases with its axis extending vertically. Coils will vary in size and weight within rather large ranges, but ordinarily cannot be manually handled. Thus, in addition to the special equipment for handling coils on the mill floor, special equipment is needed to transfer the coils from the mill to a warehouse and vice versa.

It will be apparent from the above brief outline of present day difficulties in handling metal coils that the provision :of suitable handling equipment is an extremely expensive proposition and that the handling, itself, is wasteful of valuable man-hours. In view of the urgent need for some simple, relatively inexpensive, and more practical method of handling or manipulating coils, I departed from the beaten path and have been able to develop a device orapparatus which can .be supported or carried by the ordinary traveling hoist crane equipment and which can be operated by the crane operator, himself. The device is thus extremely adaptable to meet all manipulating or positioning requirements, whether the coil is being handled in the mill, itself, or from the warehouse to the mill and vice versa. The device can be employed with facility to pick up a coil, regardless of exactly how it is positioned with respect to its axis. The device may also serve as an up-ender or a turner for the coil, so that its axis is in a desired different position. The device is also constructed so that it has a balanced center of gravity when a coil is picked up with its axis extending vertically and will swing to seek a new center of gravity when the coil is swung to a horizontal or oblique position.

The device is provided with means for positively holding the coil in suspension while it is being carried from one location to another as well as means for swinging it to a desired axial relationship during the carrying operation or before or at the completion of the carrying operation. Although the device is preferably balanced so that its center of gravity will extend axially along its vertical support member after a normal size of coil has been picked up, it is provided with means for swinging the coil in such a manner that the center of gravity of the device with the coil in a supported relationship may extend in a desired relationship to the longitudinal axis of the support member. The device of my invention serves as a combined conveyer means with the ordinary overhead crane, a swinging or tilting means, as well as a pickup and delivery means. Coils can now be moved with a high degree of safety to any desired location, can be picked up from any position and can be delivered in any desired manner or position, either to processing apparatus or to a storage space.

It has thus been an object of my invention to solve the problem heretofore presented in the art of handling or manipulating coils by an entirely new approachthereto;

Another object has been to provide a manipul-ator device for coils andthe like which will make use of existing crane equipment and which will eliminate the space consuming, expensive, and non-flexible type of equipment layout which is required at the present time;

A further object of my invention has been to devise a relatively simple and inexpensive form of manipulator device which can be employed with facility to meet the various problems of handling and positioning metal coils.

These and many other objects of my invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the hereinafter illustrated and described embodiments thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view in elevation of a device or an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, somewhat diagrammatically illustrating actuating controls therefore, and how it may be supported or suspended from an ordinary traveling crane or hoist apparatus; in this figure (Fig. 1) I have shown switch controls arranged to energize an actuating motor in a counterclockwise direction and deenergize a magnetic brake for the motor;

Figure 1A is a vertical perspective fragmental detail showing the construction of a top Or up- 3 per vertical end portion of the support structure of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 1B shows the electric circuit of Figure 1 arranged to energize the motor in a clockwise direction and de-energize the magnetic brake; and Figure 10 shows the circuit arranged to deenergize the motor and energize the magnetic brake;

Figure 2 is a front view in vertical elevation of the device of Figure l; in both Figures 1 and 2 the coil-receiving nose or mandrel is shown extending vertically;

Figure 3 is a reduced view in side elevation of the device of Figures 1 and 2, illustrating how it may be employed to pick up a coil whose axis is extending horizontally; in this figure the dot and dash lines show movement of the device as effected by the crane or hoist apparatus to enter its nose properly within the coil;

Figure 4 is a front end view of the full line showing of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to Figure, 3, but illustrates how the device may be actuated to move its nose from a horizontal position (see the dot and dash lines) to an oblique position (see they full lines) to, if desired, shift the center of gravity of the device when it is supporting or carrying a coil;

Figure 6 is a slightly enlarged side vertical view illustrating by full and dot and dash lines how a coil may be moved from a vertical position to a horizontal position and vice versa; it also illustrates how a coil whose axis extends vertically may be picked up from position 1, moved vertically to position 2, and then swung into a horizontal position 3;

Figures 7 to ll, inclusive, are somewhat diagrammatic side views in elevation and reduced scale illustrating by five comparative positions how a device constructed in accordance with my invention may be employed to pick up, move, and deliver a coil; it also illustrates how the device will seek its center of gravity after a coil has been picked up and its normal center of gravity changed by the weight and positioning of the coil; it also illustrates how the center of, gravity may be adjusted by adjusting the exact supported position of the coil on the device.

Thev illustrated, device of my invention has a support structure or member which may be a weldment, casting or combination thereof that extends substantially vertically and at one end is provided with means for suspending it from a hoist or preferably from a traveling crane in such a manner that it is free to swing as a pendulum therefrom. A lower end portion of the support structure or member carries or serves as a mounting for a pickup which as shown, may comprise a nose element provided with a magnetic hold-coil adjacent one end thereof of sufficient diameter to surmount it. The pickup device is constructed and arranged for swinging, pivotal, or angular movement with respect to the support frame and is preferably mounted thereon in such a manner that it can be moved within an arcuate path of more than 90 and less than 180. An actuating or motive means is also carriedby the support member and positioned in such a manner that the device preferably has a center of gravity which is concentric with the axis of the support structure when the pickup mechanism or nose is in a vertical or horizontal position. The'pickup device is shown operablyconnected through gear-segments and worm gears to the motive means such as an electric motor. The motive means is shown provided with a magnetic brake which is actuated when the motor is ole-energized, and is inoperative when the motor is being actuated for forward or reverse movement. If the motive means is an electric motor, a suitable interlock may be provided between the electrical connections to the motor and to the magnetic brake. For the above purpose, the pickup or nose is preferably provided with a magnetic holding means, such as a magnetic field, that is actuated when the work piece, such as a metal coil, is being picked up and carried to a new location, and is de-enen gized to release the work piece at a new location or in a different position.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, '7, 8 and 9, I have somewhat diagrammatically illustrated a traveling overhead crane It provided with a hoist drum H, sheaves. ii, i i and 44a, reeving i3, and a hook il The sheaves. i i and Ma. are rotatably mounted on a hoist frame it which also carries a button head end portion of the hook I? by means of a pivotly mounted support pin 16.

The manipulator device 2!], as shown, has a frame construction which extends substantially vertically and has a somewhat thin sidev and a widened front and back contour. The upper end portion of the frame of the device 28 has, as shown, an upwardly-extending, bifurcated part 25 (see Figure 1A) provided with spaced-apart vertical arms which carry a cross pin or shank 22 which extends transversely across and may, as shown, be welded thereto. As will be noted, the cross pin or shank 22 is adapted to removably receive the hook i! of the crane It; The spaced-apart arms of the bifurcated support part 2! are, as shown particularly in Figure 1A, reinforced by oppositely-extending side-wing partions or pairs 23.

A motor support bracket or. channel piece 25, may, as shown, be secured as by welding to extend backwardly from the part 2i. As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, a motor 21 and magnetic brake 28 may be. secured asa unit upon the bottom flange of the support bracket 25 by bolt and nut assemblies 28. The motor shaft 29 is adapted. to extend within a; central housing part 3% of the device and is journaled therein by a bearing 32, and an end bearing assembly 34 that positions a thrust bearing 33. The end bearing 24% extends through an opening in the housing SE5 (see Figures 1 and 2) and is provided with a mounting face plate 34a which may be removably secured over the openingv in the housing 3Q by bolts 35.

The motor shaft 29 has an axially or horizontally-extending worm gear 3% keyed thereon for rotation therewith that meshes with a worm wheel 3'1. The worm wheel 37 is. in turn secured by a key 38c on a cross shaft 38. Theshaft 38 isjournaled within bearings 39 carried by; the enclosing housing 39 and by endbearings 46 carried by a. pair of;verticall.v, dowmvardly extend-- ing, side arms of a bifurcated extension-part 3-4; The shaft 38 also carries a pair of gear pinions t! adjacent: its opposite ends thatare'secured-or keyed for rotationtherewith and mesh with a pair of gear segments orsectors: 12. It will-be noted from Figures 1 and. 2- that verticalside partitions 2d of the housing part 3flrare; open at the top to provide a grease pocket forthe-worm gears carried by thehousing'partl T-he partt tions 24 also carry integral bearing portions-24a,- see Figure 2.

The teeth on the gear segments or sectors 42, preferably as shown, extend for over 90 and the segments are secured by keys 43a on oppositelyextending shaft portions 43 of a swingable support member or cross beam 45. The shaft portions 43 are rotatably supported or journaled within bores id of lower ends of the side arm members 3|. The support member 45 is thus adapted to be turned about its shaft or integral axle portions 33 by the gear segments d2.

The support member 45 has an annular central body portion that carries a pickup device 4'1 centrally thereof which as shown, has a mag netic core 48, an electric field-producing coil or winding 49 wound thereabout, and an outwardly-extending metal nose or mandrel portion 50. The nose 50 may, as shown, be of hollow metal construction and have a central body of cylindrical shape terminating in a tapered or conic closed end. The conic end of the nose 5!) aids in initially introducing it into the axial opening of the work piece or coil C that is to be picked up and handled.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, direct current power mains or lines 5| and 52 may be employed to supply energy to the motor 21, its magnetic brake 28, and the electro-magnetic hold coil as of the pickup 41. An automatic-hold push button switch 53 is shown in the connection between the electric main 52 and sub-line 52a to one side of the hold coil 49; the other side of the coil 49 is shown connected directly to the main 5 i A motor control, two push button, switch mechanism 54 has a pair of switches 54a and 55b, see Figures 1, 1B, and 1C. The switch 54a has a pair of contact arms a and b. The arm a is adapted to connect opposite points a between sub-line 51a and sub-line 51b (that is connected to one side of the magnetic brake 28) when the switch 5% is in an open or released position (see Figures 113 and 1C), and to connect opposite points a" between main 52 and sub-line 521) (that is connected to one side of the motor 27) when the switch is in a closed or depressed position (see Figure 1). The arm 19 is positioned to move with the arm a and is adapted to connect opposite points 1) between main 5| and sub-line 510 (that is connected to the other side of the motor 27) when the switch 54a is in a closed or depressed position (see Figure 1) The switch 5% has a pair of contact arms c and d. The arm is adapted to connect oppo site points c between sub-line m and main 5! when the switch 542) is in an open or released position (see Figures 1 and 1C), and to connect opposite points 0" between main 5| and sub-line 52b when the switch is in a closed position (see Figure 1B). The arm d which operates with arm c is adapted to connect opposite points d between main 52 and sub-line 510 when the switch 54b is in a closed'or' depressed position (see Figure 1B). A comparison of Figures 1, 1B, and will show that the brake 21 is always de-enengized when one of the switches 5 5a or 54b is closed and is always energized when both of those switches are open. It will also be apparent that when the spring of push button switch 54a is depressed (switch closed) that the motor 21 will be driven in one direction (see Figure 1) and that when the spring of push button switch 542) is depressed (switch closed) that the motor 21 will be driven in an opposite direction (see Figure 1B). The arms a and b of switch 54a are mounted for simultaneous movement as are the arms 0 and d of switch 54b. It is thus apparent that the brake 28 is energized when the motor 21 is de-energized, and vice versa.

The switch 53 and mechanism 54 are preferably located in the cab of the crane, so that the operator can have full control over the operation of the manipulator device.

Referring particularly to Figures 7 to 11, inclusive, Figure 7 shows the device in a position to pick up a vertically positioned coil 0, Figure 8 shows the coil in a raised position, Figures 9 and 10 show how the coil may be turned to a horizontal position while being carried by the device, and Figure 11 shows a horizontal delivery of the coil. In these figures a represents the distance of swing caused by a partial turning of the coil C and a represents the full distance of swing caused by moving the coil from a vertical to a horizontal position. It will be apparent that the amount of swing or pendulum action will depend on the size and weight of the coil C, and that the coil-swinging mechanism may be actuated, as shown, to tilt the coil C and adjust the center of gravity of the device 20, as changed by the supported coil, to any desired relationship. Figure 10 illustrates a representative final position of the device 20 and the coil C which may be used in carrying the device and the coil from one location to another in the mill. It will be apparent from a comparison of Figures 3, 5, 6, etc., that the nose 50 of the pick-up means may be adjusted to any desired radially-extending or projecting position to pick up or deliver a coil and to provide a desired center of gravity relationship for carrying the coil from one location to another.

What I claim is:

1. A manipulator device adapted to be suspended from a crane apparatus to pick up and deliver a metal coil which comprises, a support structure having means for suspending its upper end portion from the crane apparatus, an electro-magnet pickup nose adapted to enter the coil, a transverse arm pivotally mounting said pickup nose on a lower end portion of said support structure to project therefrom, an electric motor mounted on said support structure above said pickup nose, worm gearing operatively connecting said motor to said arm to swing said pickup nose in an arcuate path with respect to said support structure, an electric brake operatively associated with said motor to lock it and said pickup nose in a desired position, a source of electrical energy for said pickup nose and said motor and said brake, and an electrical control mechanism adapted to be positioned on the crane apparatus and connecting said source of energy to said pickup nose, said motor and said brake, and said control mechanism being constructed to de-energize said brake when said motor is energized and vice versa.

2. A manipulator device that is adapted to be suspended from a hoist or crane apparatus and to pick up and deliver a metal work piece such as a coil which comprises, a vertically-extending support structure having a pivot pin extending through an upper end part thereof and constructed and arranged to be engaged by a hook of the crane apparatus, a pickup means pivotly carried on said support structure adjacent a lower end portion thereof, actuating means carried by said support structure and operably connected to said pickup means and constructed and arranged to move said pickup means between vertical, hori- 7' zontal and oblique positions, and means for holding the work piece on said pickup means.

3. A manipulator device as defined in claim 2 wherein, said holding means is provided with an electrically-energized magnetic field-producing means.

4. A manipulator device as defined in claim 2 wherein, said pickup means has a nose part constructed and arranged to enter an opening .in the work piece, and said means for holding the work piece on said pickup means is a magnetic coil operably positioned about an inner end of said nose part and of sufiicient diameter to surmount said nose part.

5. A manipulator device as adapted to be swingably suspended from a hoist or crane apparatus and to pick up, handle and deliver a metal coil and the like which comprises, a vertically-extending support structure, a bifurcated upwardly-extending part having a transverselyextending shank adapted to be-engaged by a hook of the crane apparatus, a housing part carried by said support structure, an electric motor and brake mechanism mounted on said support structure adjacent said housing part, said motor having a drive shaft operably extending through said housing part and journaled therewithin, said drive'shaft having a worm meshing with a worm gear, said Worm gear being operabiy mountedon a cross shaft, said cross shaft being journaied within said housingand carrying a pair of gear pinions secured thereon, a bifurcated part extending downwardly from said housing part of said support structure, a pair of gear segments meshing with said gear pinions and mounted on a pair of shaft portions, said shaft portions being journaled within side arms of said downwardly-extending bifurcated part, a support member carrying said shaft portions and being constructed to turn therewith, a pickup means carried by said support member and projecting therefrom, andmeans for energizing said motor to change the position of said pickup means, and means for energizing said brake when said motor is ale-energized.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein, said pickup means is provided with a magnetic hold coil, and means is connected to said magnetic hold coil for energizing it.

7. A manipulator device as defined in claim 5 wherein, said pickup means has a projecting nose which is adapted to slide within an opening of the coil and has a conic end portion to facilitate its introduction into the coil.

8. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein, means is provided for energizing said motor. forwardly and backwardly and for simultaneously de-energizing said brake, and means is provided for energizing said brake when said motor is deenergized.

9. A manipulator device to be suspended from a hoist or crane apparatus to directly pick up a metal work piece such as a coil at one location and deliver it to another location in a shop which comprises, a support structure having means to suspend it from the crane apparatus; a pickup means pivotally mounted on said support structure to move between agertically-downwardly projecting position and a horizontally-outwardly projecting position topick up, carry, and discharge the work piece; means carried by said support structure to hold the work piece on said pickup means and. to release it therefrom, an actuating means on said support structure and operatively connected to said pickup means to move it on its pivot mounting between the defined positions.

10. A manipulator device as defined in claim 9 wherein, means is provided for energizing said actuating mechanism, and a brake is operatively associated with said pickup means to lockit in a desired pivoted position with respect to said support structure when said actuating mechanism is tie-energized.

'11. A manipulator device to be suspended from a hoist or crane apparatus to directly pick up and deliver a metal work piece such as a coil which comprises, a support structure; a pickup nose pivotally mounted on said support structure to be moved between a vertically-downwardly projecting position, an oblique position and a horizontal-outwardly proiectingposition to pick up, carry, and discharge the work piece; means carried by said support structure and cooperating with said pickupnose to hold the work piece on said pickup nose and release it therefrom, actuating mechanism on said support structure and operatively connected to said pickup .nose to move it on its pivot mounting between the defined positions, and said support structure having means to pivotally suspend it from the crane apparatus, so that the manipulator device will be free to seek a new center of gravity when said actuating mechanism has moved said pickup nose from one to another of the defined positions.

12. A manipulator device as defined in claim '11 wherein, said actuating mechanism is a motor operatively connected to said pickup nose through its pivot mounting, and said motor has a magnetic brake to lock it in position when it is de-energized.

SAMUEL S. DOUGLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,605,273 Norton et al Nov. 2, 1926 1,868,562 Chubb et al July 26, 1932 2,203,799 Shaffer June 11, 1940

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