Feeding system for strip material, particularly in treatment plants for metal strips

• US 5,253,969 A
• Filed: 05/11/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
• Original Assignee: SMS Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
• Inventors: Richert, Withold
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US07/883,814
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 414/14, 414/17, 414/20, 414/749, 414/751, 226/148, 226/149, 226/162, 226/173, 271/193, 271/264, 271/268, 198/619
• US Class Current: 414/17
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/0404 specially adapted for very long workpieces, e.g. chains, cables or belts
• CPC Class Codes: C23G 3/02 for cleaning wires, strips, filaments continuously

Abstract

A feeding system for strip material for transporting a strip over a conveying distance of limited length, particularly in treatment plants for metal strip. The feeding system includes a transfer carriage which is guided on a rail guide. The transfer carriage has a chamber for receiving the strip and is provided with a device for temporarily holding the beginning of the strip. The transfer carriage has at both sides thereof a reversible linear motor each for driving the transfer carriage over the conveying distance.

Claims

1. In a feeding system for strip material for transporting a strip over a conveying distance of limited length, the improvement comprising the feeding system including a transfer carriage and a rail guide for guiding the transfer carriage, the transfer carriage defining a chamber for receiving the strip, the transfer carriage having means for fastening the strip during feeding of the strip over the conveying distance by temporarily holding the beginning of the strip, the transfer carriage having at both sides thereof a reversible linear motor each for driving the transfer carriage over the conveying distance, each linear motor having current-carrying active motor components and permanent magnets as reaction components, the active motor components being integrated int he rail guide and the reaction components being integrated in the transfer carriage, the transfer carriage being plate-shaped, the transfer carriage having at both sides thereof vertically extending flanges and horizontally extending flanges connected to the vertically extending flanges, the flanges extending in travel direction of the carriage and forming chambers which are open toward the center of the carriage, the rail guide having outwardly directed horizontal webs for engagement in the chambers in a labyrinth-like manner, the rail guide having additional outer horizontal webs and vertically upwardly extending webs, wherein the horizontal web is located underneath the horizontal flange of the transfer carriage and the vertical webs are located outside of the vertically extending flange of the carriage, the vertical and horizontal flanges of the transfer carriage being equipped with guide rollers with vertically and horizontally extending axes for guiding the transfer carriage on the vertical and horizontal webs of the rail guide, the horizontal webs of the rail guide extending into the chambers being provided on the bottom surfaces thereof with the active motor components and the horizontal flanges of the transfer carriage being provided on the upper surfaces thereof with the permanent magnets of the reaction components of the linear motors.

2. The feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the strip receiving chamber has a lower chamber wall on which the strip beginning rests, the strip fastening means comprising a clamping plate located in the strip receiving chamber and an air cushion element operated by compressed air and also located int he strip receiving chamber, the clamping plate being arranged underneath the compressed air cushion element and resting on a pair of compressed air lifting elements for lifting the clamping plate after the cushion element is evacuated.

3. In a feeding system for strip material for transporting a strip over a conveying distance of limited length, the improvement comprising the feeding system including a transfer carriage and a rail guide for guiding the transfer carriage, the transfer carriage defining a chamber for receiving the strip, the transfer carriage having means for fastening the strip during feeding of the strip over the conveying distance by temporarily holding the beginning of the strip, the transfer carriage having at both sides thereof a reversible linear motor each for driving the transfer carriage over the conveying distance, wherein the means for fastening the strip beginning is an air cushion element operated by compressed air and fixed within said strip receiving chamber of the transfer carriage for effecting a frictional engagement with the strip beginning, said air cushion element comprising a closing air cushion and means for controlling the compressed air and generating a negative pressure when the pressure is released, the strip fastening means further including a clamping plate arranged beneath the air cushion element, the transfer carriage being plate-shaped and acting on the compressed air cushion element for generating a frictional pressure force on the clamping plate, the clamping plate being arranged on a pair of compressed air-operated lifting elements for lifting the clamping plate when the pressure in the compressed air-operated cushion element is released, the strip receiving chamber having a lower chamber wall, the strip beginning resting on the lower chamber wall and being clamped between the clamping plate and the lower chamber wall when the closed air cushion is filled with compressed air.

4. The feeding system according to claim 3, wherein the transfer carriage comprises a fixed docking plate for introducing, blocking and releasing compressed air, a coupling docking plate each being provided at the beginning and at the end of the conveying distance, each coupling docking plate being movable back and forth over a coupling distance, the movable coupling docking plates being connected through hose lines to stationary compressed air sources, the fixed docking plate of the transfer carriage and the movable coupling docking plates having at oppositely located end faces thereof compressed air-operated stretching connections for compressed air with pressure maintaining function and including means for the temporary coupling of the movable coupling docking plates to the fixed docking plates of the carriage, so that the strip beginning is clamped during the movement and is released after the strip beginning has reached the end of the conveying distance.