Patent Application
20140070039
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to rolling mill coil-forming apparatuses, often referred to as laying heads, of the type that include a driven rotating quill that discharges elongated material into an elongated path hollow structure, such as a laying head pipe and a downstream deflector guide trough. More particularly the present invention relates to a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support portions formed therein. The path and deflector guide trough structures are supported by the unistructural housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coil-forming apparatuses laying head systems form moving rolled elongated material into a series of helical continuous loop rings. Those rings may be further processed downstream by bundling them into coils of any desired number of helical turns. Known laying heads are described generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,312,065; 6,769,641; and 7,011,264, the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully contained herein.
As described in these patents rolling mill laying heads include a rotating quill that discharges the elongated material into a radially outwardly flared section, where it is received in the entry end an elongated hollow structure, such as for example a hollow tubular laying pipe. The laying pipe or other elongated hollow structure has a curved intermediate portion that is surrounded by the quill's flared section and an end portion that projects radially outwardly from and generally tangential to the quill's rotational axis. The rotating quill and the laying pipe hollow elongated structure in combination conform the rolled material into a helical curved shape. The laying pipe or other substitute hollow elongated structure may be replaced with one of a different profile and/or diameter in order to reconfigure the laying head to accommodate different dimensioned rolled material.
Further helical profiling of the roiled material is accomplished in a rotating helical ring guide that includes troughs for receiving the rolled material about its outer circumference. The ring or trough helical guide described in U.S. Pat. No. No. 6,769,641 is of segmented, sector-shaped, modular rim construction with the circumferential troughs formed within the rim sectors. When it is desired to reconfigure the laying head to accommodate different dimensioned rolled material all of the rim sectors are changed out with another set having different trough profile and/or helical pitch needed to coil the new material. Whenever a specific trough segment becomes worn in service use, its entire rim sector structural member is replaced with a new one.
A generally annular ring, also commonly referred to as deflector guide trough or guide ring, has a guide surface that circumscribes the laying pipe discharge end and helical guide, so that the elongated material is confined axially and radially as it is discharged in now fully coiled configuration to a roller transport path for subsequent bundling and other processing. A pivoting tripper mechanism, including one or more tripper paddles, may be positioned at approximately the six o'clock or bottom position of the end ring/shroud distal the quill. Varying the pivot attack angle of the tripper mechanism relative to the ring/shroud inner diameter surface is useful to control elongated material coiling, for example to compensate for varying elongated material plasticity thickness, composition, rolling speed and cross sectional structure.
The laying head path and helical or ring deflector guide trough are supported by a support structure that is coupled to the quill's discharge end. The support structure is generally of cylindrical shape, with an intake end coupled coaxially with the quill discharge end, often by a complementary mating flanged rim. The support structure discharge end is in turn coupled coaxially to the deflector guide trough, the latter often constructed of segmented sections that are joined together radially and restrained axially by inner and outer hub structures. Also in the current two-piece support/guide trough design there is radial clearance between the pipe support and the deflector trough for easy assembly and disassembly. Under the high rotating speed the centrifugal force will shift the non-symmetric deflector trough structure to its heavy side. The location change in center of gravity due to the centrifugal force induced shift introduces residual unbalance in the rotating assembly. Given the relatively high centrifugal loading on the deflector guide trough and the elongated path/pipe that transports the rolled product during the coil-forming sequence, the inner and outer support hubs are constructed of relatively large steel machined components. The support structure and its helical deflector guide trough are hanging unsupported weight that is effectively restrained in cantilever-like fashion by quill mounting bearings. Also given the high centrifugal loads on the support structure and the deflector guide trough, the rotating assembly is typically statically and dynamically balanced to minimize potentially damaging dynamic load. Thus any time the pipe support and deflector guide trough are disassembled they must be rebalanced. Balancing the relatively large pipe support and guide trough assembly in the field after service is time consuming and relatively difficult to perform under field conditions.
The laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention has a unistructural permanently-formed housing that includes an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension formed therein. The laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention has sufficient strength to support the laying head path, helical guide trough and rolled product under high centrifugal loads with a lighter structure, so that less overhang weight is carried by the quill bearings. The lighter support in turn facilitates formation of a lighter quill structure. The unistructural arrangement forming the laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention are not disassembled and thus do not have to be rebalanced in the field during equipment servicing operations.
Embodiments of the present invention feature a support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system that includes a unistructural permanently-formed housing having an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension formed therein. As used herein, a “unistructural” support or a support “unistructure” means that the support is formed as a single piece, e.g., by casting, molding or a reinforced composite, as well as being formed from permanently joined subcomponents that are not designed or intended to be disassembled, e.g., welded steel or other metal fabrications. A unistructural support enhances structural stiffness and rigidity and can more easily distribute induced loads throughout the component without localized stress concentrations that are often generated at juncture zones of fastened or interlocking subcomponents.
Other embodiments of the present invention feature a roiling mill coil-forming laying head system having a driven rotating quill and a unistructural permanently-formed housing. The housing has an integral elongated hollow pathway support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension, all of which are integrally formed in the housing. An elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials is coupled to the elongated hollow pathway support extension. A deflector or ring guide trough is coupled to the deflector guide trough support extension.
Additional embodiments of the present invention feature a support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system having a unistructural permanently-formed housing with an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, a deflector guide trough support extension and a quill mounting support extension formed therein, The housing is formed from welded fabricated components.
The features of the present invention may be applied jointly or severally in any combination or sub-combination by those skilled in the art.
The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.
After considering the following description, those skilled in the art will clearly realize that the teachings of the present invention can be readily utilized in coil-forming laying head apparatuses to provide lighter weight laying head path/pipe and helical guide trough permanently formed unistructural support structures that are not disassembled during laying head apparatus service. Thus, the unistructural support structure does not have to be rebalanced after field service. Lighter weight supports induce lower unsupported loads on quill bearings and also enable utilization of lighter weight quills as unsupported loads are decreased.
Laying Head System Overview
Referring generally to
The laying head system 30 comprises a driven rotatable known conventional quill 50 that is supported by rolling element bearings 52. The quill 50 rotates an elongated material path or pipe 60 and a path/pipe support 70. The path 60 defines a hollow elongated cavity to enable transport of the material M. Aspects of the present invention allow the path to comprise a laying head pipe; indeed, the path 60 may occasionally be referred to as a laying head pipe herein.
The known quill 50 can have a generally horn shape that is adapted to rotate about an axis. The path 60 has a generally helical axial profile of increasing radius, with a first end 62 that that is aligned with the rotational axis of quill 50 and receives elongated material M. The path 60 has a second end that is spaced radially outwardly from and generally tangential to the quill 50 rotational axis and thus discharges the elongated material generally tangentially to the periphery of the rotating quill. The path 60 is coupled to a conventional, known path/pipe support 70, which is in turn coupled coaxially to the known quill 50, so that all three components rotate synchronously about the quill rotational axis. Quill 50 rotational speed is selected based upon, among other factors, the elongated material M structural dimensions and material properties, advancement speed S, desired coil diameter and number of tons of elongated material that can be processed by the laying head pipe without undue risk of excessive wear.
In this embodiment, as elongated material M is discharged from the second end 64, it is directed into a ring guide 80 having guide rim segments 82 into which are formed a guide trough channel 84 having a helical pitch profile, such as that described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,641. As the elongated material M is advanced through the ring guide 80 it is continued to be conformed into a continuous loop helix. As stated in the '641 patent, the segmented ring guide enables relatively easy reconfiguration of the ring guide helical diameter to accommodate different elongated materials by changing the rim segments 82 without disassembling and replacing the entire ring guide 80.
As previously noted, the elongated material M is configured into a continuous looped coil as it rides within the ring guide 80 helical trough channel 84. Ring guide 80 is coupled to the path/pipe support 70 and rotates coaxially with the quill 50. The helical trough 84 advancement rotational speed is harmonized with the elongated material M advancement speed S, so there is little relative linear motion speed between the two abutting objects and less rubbing wear of the trough 84 surfaces that contact the coiling material.
Stationary end ring 90 has an inner diameter that is coaxial with the quill 50 rotational axis and circumscribes the laying path/pipe 60 second end 62 as well as the ring guide 80. The end ring 90 counteracts centrifugal force imparted on the elongated material M as it is discharged from the laying head pipe 60 second end 62 and advances along the ring guide 80 helical trough channel 84 by radially restraining the material within the end ring inner diameter guide surface. High relative speed between the advancing elongated material M and the stationary end ring 90 causes rubbing wear on the end ring inner diameter guide surface.
Referring to
Conventional Pipe/Path Support Description
Present Invention Pipe/Path Support Description
The pipe/path support 170 of the present invention is a unistructural, permanently formed apparatus that is not intended to be deconstructed into sub components. Unistructural formation facilitates applied load distribution throughout the unified structure without stress concentrations at the juncture of subcomponent interfaces, as occurs with known conventional pipe supports 70. Thus the unified, permanently joined pipe support 170 can be constructed as a lighter weight apparatus, reducing unsupported weight loads on the quill 150 support bearings 52 and magnitude of rotational vibrations. The unified, permanently joined pipe support apparatus 170 can be factory balanced after construction, and does not need rebalancing after field service, so long as the apparatus is not modified or damaged. The unified structure of permanently joined pipe support apparatus also facilitates a potentially higher degree of internal vibration damping than the known prior art pipe support 70 that has discrete non-permanently joined subcomponents. The unistructural pipe/path support 170 is constructed of permanently joined welded metal subcomponents. Alternatively, the pipe support 170 is constructed as a casting or molding of metallic or non-metallic material, including plastic or other polymers. The pipe support 170 may also be fabricated as a reinforced composite structure, such as a woven carbon fiber or polyaramid fiber and resin structure, or a fiber or other reinforced casting/molding.
The unistructural pipe/path support 170 of the present invention has an integrally formed pipe support flange 171 that mates concentrically with quill 150 flange 154. The pipe support 170 includes a hollow, generally cylindrical hubless housing 172 for weight reduction. A plurality of pipe clamps 173 are retained by integrally formed pipe support extension 174 that is permanently joined and affixed to the cylindrical housing 172. The pipe support 170 also retains the ring or deflector guide trough 180, and its trough segment(s) 182 that define the helical trough 184. The ring or deflector guide trough 180 is coupled and affixed to the path/pipe support 170 by an integrally-formed support extension 185 that extends radially from the housing 172. The embodiments shown in
Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. The invention is not limited in its application to the exemplary embodiment details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
