Roller mountable to a cooling bed plate transfer grid

• US 7,168,546 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald L. Plesh Sr
• Original Assignee: Ronald L. Plesh Sr
• Inventors: Plesh, Ronald L. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US10/877,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 193/35.R, 193/37, 193/35.B, 193/35.SS, 16/55, 162/55
• US Class Current: 193/35.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 43/04 Cooling beds comprising rolls or worms
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 13/00 Roller-ways storage devices comprising roller-ways B65G1/02; endless-chain conveyors comprising load-supporting rollers B65G17/00; rollers or arrangements thereof B65G39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 39/02 Adaptations of individual rollers and supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 39/12 mounted on framework

Abstract

An inexpensive, high capacity, and easy to install roller for engaging hot metal plates being transferred over a cooling bed plate transfer grid. An invertible block which may have a bearing is provided at each end of the axle for the roller. The bearing block is received in a cut-out in the upper edge of a respective elongate parallel grid member. The bearing block is clamped in the cut-out by a plate which is received in a pair of slots in forward and aft edges of the cut-out to clampingly overlie the bearing block. A lip on each of the bearing blocks is positioned and sized to abut a lateral surface of a respective grid member and a shoulder on the axle engages the bearing block for preventing movement laterally of the bearing, whereby the roller is restrained from movement axially. The aperture in the bearing block for receiving the axle has a center which is offset from the bearing block center to allow the roller height to be quickly and easily adjusted by removing the bearing block, rotating it, and re-inserting it.

Claims

1. A roller insert for a cooling bed plate transfer grid having a plurality of elongate parallel members for effecting movement of plates being cooled, the insert comprising a roller, an axle for said roller, a pair of bearing blocks, said bearing blocks shaped to be received in a pair of cutouts respectively in upper edges of a pair of the parallel members with said roller received between and projecting above the parallel members for engaging the plates as they are moved along the grid, each of said bearing blocks having an aperture, the insert further comprising a bearing in each of said bearing block apertures for rotatably receiving said axle, said axle being rotatably received in said bearings of both said bearing blocks, each of said bearing blocks having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, each of said bearing block apertures having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, wherein said center of each of said bearing block apertures is offset from said center of said respective bearing block to thereby adjust height of said roller by removing each of said bearing blocks from the respective cutout and rotating and re-inserting each of said bearing blocks in the respective cutout.

2. An insert according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said bearing blocks is, in a plane normal to said axle, square.

3. An insert according to claim 1 wherein said center of each said aperture is offset both vertically and horizontally from said center of said respective bearing block.

4. An insert according to claim 1 wherein each of said bearing blocks is formed to be invertible so that a top and bottom thereof may be interchanged.

5. An insert according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said bearing blocks is rectangular, in a plane normal to said axle.

6. A cooling bed plate transfer grid comprising a plurality of elongate parallel members for effecting movement of plates being cooled and further comprising an insert including a roller, an axle for said roller, and a pair of blocks, each said block received in a pair of cutouts respectively in upper edges of a pair of the parallel members with said roller received between and projecting above the parallel members for engaging the plates as they are moved along the grid, each of said blocks having an aperture in which is received said axle and having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, said aperture having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, wherein said center of said aperture is offset from said center of said block, and wherein each of said cutouts has forward and aft edges, and the grid further comprises a clamp for clamping each of said blocks in said respective cutout, said clamp comprising a plate and a pair of slots in said forward and aft edges respectively for receiving said clamping plate with said respective block received below said clamping plate.

7. A grid according to claim 6 wherein each of said blocks is formed to be invertible so that a top and bottom thereof may be interchanged.

8. A grid according to claim 6 further comprising a bearing in each of said block apertures for rotatably receiving said axle.

9. A cooling bed elate transfer grid comprising a plurality of elongate parallel members for effecting movement of plates being cooled and further comprising an insert including a roller, an axle for said roller, and a pair of blocks, each said block received in a pair of cutouts respectively in upper edges of a pair of the parallel members with said roller received between and projecting above the parallel members for engaging the plates as they are moved along the grid, each of said blocks having an aperture in which is received said axle and having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, said aperture having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, wherein said center of said aperture is offset from said center of said block, and wherein said axial movement preventing means comprises a lip on each of said blocks, said lip positioned and sized to abut a lateral surface of said respective parallel member, and the grid further comprises a shoulder on said axle for engaging each said block whereby said blocks are restrained from movement axially in one direction by said lips abutting lateral surfaces respectively of said parallel members respectively and in the other direction by said shoulders and whereby said roller is restrained from movement axially relative to said blocks.

10. A grid according to claim 9 wherein each of said blocks is formed to be invertible so that a top and bottom thereof may be interchanged.

11. A grid according to claim 9 further comprising a bearing in each of said block apertures for rotatably receiving said axle.

12. A cooling bed plate transfer grid comprising a plurality of elongate parallel members having upper edges for effecting movement of plates being cooled, a pair of cutouts in said upper edges respectively of at least one pair of said parallel members, an insert including a roller, an axle for said roller, and a pair of bearing blocks, said bearing blocks received in said cutouts respectively with said roller received between and projecting above said respective pair of parallel members for engaging the plates as they are moved along the grid, each of said bearing blocks having an aperture, the grid further comprising a bearing in each of said bearing block apertures for rotatably receiving said axle, said axle being rotatably received in said bearings of both said bearing blocks, each of said bearing blocks having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, each of said bearing block apertures having a geometric center in a plane normal to said axle, wherein said center of each of said bearing block apertures is offset from said center of said respective bearing block to thereby adjust height of said roller by removing each of said bearing blocks from said respective cutout and rotating and re-inserting each of said bearing blocks in said respective cutout.

13. A grid according to claim 12 wherein said center of each said aperture is offset both vertically and horizontally from said center of said respective bearing block.

14. A grid according to claim 12 wherein each of said bearing blocks is formed to be invertible so that a top and bottom thereof may be interchanged.

15. A grid according to claim 12 wherein at least one of said bearing blocks is, in a plane normal to said axle, square.

16. A grid according to claim 12 further comprising means for preventing movement axially of said roller.

17. A grid according to claim 12 wherein at least one of said bearing blocks is, in a plane normal to said axle, rectangular.