Squeeze roll and actuator assembly utilizing inflatable bags

• US 4,770,095 A
• Filed: 08/17/1987
• Issued: 09/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald C. Phillips
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Schofield
• Inventors: Schofield, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Falik, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US07/086,281
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 100/176, 100/170, 100/269 A, 100/214, 254/93 HP, 425/389, 425/390, 83/639, 269/22, 29/113 R
• US Class Current: 100/170
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 9/10 the auxiliary operation being performed before the application B05C9/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 2001/383 Cladded or coated products
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 39/006 Pinch roll sets
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 45/00 Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills B21B15/00, B21B1/227 and B21B27/005 take precedence; technical features of scaling-off devices B21C43/00
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 3/04 co-operating with one another, e.g. with co-operating cones

Abstract

A differential pressure actuator includes two fluid containing bags mounted on opposite sides of a support bar, and one of the bags is coupled to a load by means of a plate at the side of the bag opposite the bar. The other bag is also coupled to the load by means of a second plate mounted at the opposite end of the other bag, and the second plate is mechanically connected to the first plate by rods. Both of the bags contained a pressurized fluid in excess of atmospheric pressure, and the difference in the forces generated by the two bags is impressed upon the load. The load is a movable roller in a ringer for coating steel, and the movable roller is provided with separate actuators at opposite ends of the roller.

Claims

1. A roll assembly for sheet material comprising a support structure, a first elongated roll having opposite ends, a first means and a second means mounted on the support structure respectively engaging the opposite ends of the first roll for rotatably mounting the first roll in a stationary position with respect to the support structure, a second elongated roll having opposite ends, a third means and a fourth means mounted on the support structure respectively engaging the opposite ends of the second roll for rotatably mounting the second roll with the axis of elongation of the second roll disposed in the same plane as the axis of elongation of the first roll, the third means permitting translation of the second roll in said plane with respect to the first roll, a first means mounted on the support structure and coupled to the third rotatable mounting means for exerting a force on the second roll toward the first roll including a first bag having two spaced ends, one of said ends being anchored in a fixed position on the support structure and the other of the said ends being mechanically coupled to the third mounting means, said first bag having flexible elastic walls extending between the ends thereof and containing a fluid atmosphere at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, and the volume of the first bag being a direct function of the spacing between the ends of the first bag and a direct function of the fluid pressure within the first bag, whereby the insertion of an object between the first and second rolls results in decreasing the volume of the first bag and increasing the pressure of the gaseous atmosphere within the first bag to expand the volume of the first bag and compensate for the increase in pressure in the first bag, a second bag having two spaced ends, one of the ends of the second bag being anchored in a fixed position on the support structure and the other of said ends being mechanically coupled to the third mounting means, the second air bag containing a gaseous atmosphere and exerting a force on the second roll directed oppositely from the force of the first bag and of different magnitude.

2. A roll assembly for sheet material comprising a support structure adapted to be disposed on a horizontal surface, said support structure defining a pair of spaced confronting vertical keyways, a first bearing block mounted in fixed position on the support structure at the lower end of one of the keyways and a second bearing block mounted in a fixed position on the support structure at the lower ends of the pair of keyways, respectively, end of the other of the keyways, and a first elongated roll journaled at opposite ends on the first and second bearing blocks, a third bearing block translatably keyed within the one keyway and a fourth bearing block translatably keyed within the other keyway of the pair of keyways, a second elongated roll journaled at opposite ends on the third and fourth bearing blocks, the second roll being movable with respect to the first roll and the axes of the first and second rolls being disposed in a vertical plane, an actuator having a bar extending across the one keyway of the pair above the third bearing block and mounted on the support structure, said actuator having a first bag having opposite ends and a flexible elastic wall extending between ends thereof, one end of the first bag being mounted in a fixed position on the underside of the bar and extending toward the third bearing block, the other end of the first bag being connected to the third bearing block, a second bag having opposite ends and a flexible elastic wall extending between ends thereof, one end of the second bag being mounted on the upper side of the bar and the second bag extending away from the third bearing block, the other end of the second bag being mechanically coupled to the third bearing block, the first and second bags having a fluid therein at pressures above atmospheric pressure, the volume of the first and second bags being a direct function of the distance between the ends thereof and the fluid pressure within the first and second bags, and the force exerted on the third bearing block by the actuator being the difference in the forces from the first and second bags.

3. A roll assembly for sheet material comprising the combination of claim 2 in combination with a second actuator having a second bar extending across the other keyway of the pair above the fourth bearing block and mounted on the support structure, said second actuator having a third bag having opposite ends and a flexible elastic wall extending between ends, one end of the third bag being mounted in a fixed position on the underside of the second bar and the bag extending downwardly toward the fourth bearing block, and the other end of the third bag being connected to the fourth bearing block, a fourth bag having opposite ends and a flexible elastic wall extending between ends, one end of the fourth bag being mounted on the upper side of the bar and the fourth bag extending away from the fourth bearing block, the other end of the fourth bag being mechanically coupled to the fourth bearing block, the volume of the third and fourth bags being a direct function of the distance between the ends thereof and the gaseous pressure within the third and fourth bags, and the force exerted on the fourth bearing block by the actuator being the difference in the forces from the third and fourth bags.

4. A roll assembly for sheet material comprising the combination of claim 2 wherein the means mechanically coupling the second bag to the third bearing block comprises a first plate mounted on the other end of the first bag and extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof, a second plate mounted on the other end of the second bag and extending outwardly therefrom, a pair of posts mounted on the first plate on opposite sides of the first bag and extending to the second plate, said pair of posts extending on opposite sides of the second bag and being anchored on the second plate, the first plate being attached to the third bearing block.

5. A roll assembly for sheet material comprising the combination of claim 4 wherein each of the posts extends through an aperture in the bar and is translatably surrounded by a sleeve, each sleeve extending through an aperture in the bar and being mounted on the bar, each sleeve extending toward the first plate and terminating at a distance from the first plate to form a stop against upward movement.

6. A differential pressure actuator comprising a support bar having opposite sides, a first and a second bag having opposite ends, one end of the first bag being mounted on one side of the bar and the first bag extending outwardly from the bar, one end of the second bag being mounted on the other side of the bar opposite the first bag and the second bag extending outwardly from the bar, a first plate mounted on the other end of the first bag and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the first bag, a second plate mounted on the other end of the second bag and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the second bag, a pair of posts, each post having one end mounted on the first plate and an opposite end mounted on the second plate, the first and second bags having flexible elastic walls and containing a fluid under pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure, the first bag producing a first force between the bar and the first plate which is a function of the pressure of the fluid in the first bag, and the second bag producing a second force between the bar and the second plate which is a function of the fluid in the second bag, and means coupling the first plate to a load, whereby the force of the actuator impressed on the load is a function of the difference between the first and second forces.

7. A differential pressure actuator comprising the combination of claim 6 wherein the first and second plates are elongated and parallel to each other and the posts extend translatably through a first and a second aperture in the bar, in combination with a first sleeve extending through the first aperture and translatably surrounding the one post, and a second sleeve extending through the second aperture and translatably surrounding the other post, said sleeves being mounted on the bar and extending toward and spaced from the second plate, whereby the sleeves form a stop for movement of the actuator.