Patent Application
20140076441
1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to oil film bearings employed in various types of industrial equipment, including for example the roll stands of rolling mills, and are concerned in particular with an improved connector for detachably connecting oil drainage hoses to the chocks of such bearings.
2. Description of Related Art
In a rolling mill, rolls and their associated chock assemblies are changed frequently. In the course of doing so, oil supply piping and drainage hoses must be removed from and then re-connected to the bearing chocks. When using conventional hose connections, these tasks are often unduly tabor intensive and time consuming. Additionally, residual oil in the chocks has a tendency to drip out of open drainage ports as the chocks are moved around the mill.
Broadly stated, embodiments of the present invention address the above described problems by providing an improved chock drain connector with a latching mechanism designed to facilitate rapid and efficient removal and re-connection of chock drain hoses.
In exemplary embodiments, the chock drain connector comprises a conduit with first and second legs adapted to be connected respectively to the bearing chock in communication with an oil drainage port, and to a drainage hose, with the first leg of the conduit being externally configured to coact with a latching mechanism carried by the chock and serving to releasably secure the conduit to the chock.
In exemplary embodiments, the drain connector may be elbow-shaped, with a first leg projecting horizontally into the chock drainage port, and with a second leg extending downwardly at an angle from the first leg.
The latching mechanism may comprise an external groove on the first leg, and a wheel with a circular rim interrupted by a notched segment. The wheel is carried by an adaptor plate fixed with respect to the chock, and is rotatable between a locked position at which its circular rim projects into the external groove to secure the drain connector to the chock, and an unlocked position at which the notched segment is aligned with the external groove to accommodate removal of the drain connector from the chock.
In one exemplary embodiment, the drain connector may further comprise a gate valve mechanically coupled to and adjustable in concert with the latching mechanism between a closed position preventing oil from escaping from the chock drainage port when the latching mechanism is unlocked and the drain connector is removed from the chock, and an open position permitting flow through the chock drainage port when the latching mechanism is locked and the drain connector is connected to the chock.
The gate valve may comprise an integral component of an adaptor secured to the exterior of the chock, or, alternatively, it may be located internally within the chock.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The components described hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components that would perform the same or a similar function as well as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.
Referring now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the view, embodiments of the present invention will he described in detail.
With reference initially to
With reference additionally to
An external collar 28 surrounds the opening in face plate 24.
An elbow-shaped conduit 30 has a first leg 30′ adapted to protrude into collar 28, and a second leg 30″ adapted to be connected to the hose 12a. The second leg 30″ is angled downwardly with respect to the first leg 30′, typically although not necessarily at 90°. The legs 30′, 30″ may be of the same size, or, as shown in
A latching mechanism 32 is provided on the face plate 24. The first leg 30′ may be provided with an external circular groove 34, and the latching mechanism may comprise a wheel 36 having a circular rim interrupted by a notched segment 38.
The wheel 36 may be supported on a shaft 40 manually rotatable by an externally accessible handle 42. As can best be seen in
As shown in
In order to disconnect the hose 12a from the chock drainage port 22, the shaft 40 is rotated to align the notched rim segment 38 of wheel 36 with the external groove 34 in the conduit leg 30′, thus freeing the conduit leg 30′ for withdrawal from the collar 28. This rotational shaft adjustment also acts through link 48 to shift the slide plate 44 into the position shown in
With reference to
An elbow-shaped conduit 60 has a first leg 60′ configured and dimensioned to project into the opening 56 in the face plate 52, and a second downwardly angled leg 60″ adapted to be connected to a drainage hose 12b. As with the first exemplary embodiment 16a, and as can best be seen in
The wheel 64 is carried on a shaft 70 having an external handle 72. Shaft 70 projects through the face plate 52 into the chock interior. A gate valve comprising a circular disc 74 is carried on the inner end of shaft 70.
The conduit 60 is releasable secured in communication with the chock drainage port 22 by rotating the shaft 70 to project the rim of wheel 64 into the external groove 68 on conduit leg 60′. This rotational adjustment of the shaft 70 also serves to rotate the valve disc 74 away from the interiorly projecting end of nipple 58, thus allowing oil to drain through conduit 60 into hose 12b.
When disconnecting the hose 12b from the chock drainage port 22, the wheel 64 is rotated to align its notched segment 66 with the groove 68 in conduit leg 60′. This rotational adjustment also serves to rotate the valve disc 74 into the position shown in
A manually retractable spring loaded pin 76 may be arranged to coact with a radial hole 78 in the rim of wheel 64 to releasably hold the wheel in its locked position. Additionally, a second spring loaded pin 80 may be provided to coact with the notched segment 66 of the wheel 64 to retain the wheel in its unlocked position.
While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, modification, additions and deletions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents, as set forth in the following claims.
