Levelling machine and method
AssigneeThe Bronx Manufacturing Company (UK) Ltd.
InventorTimothy Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A levelling machine for working the coiling tendencies out of sheet metal and the like, comprising an upper set of work rolls with sets of backup rollers rotationally mounted within upper backup carriers pivotable about a first axis and a lower set of work rolls with sets of backup rollers each in a lower backup carrier pivotable about a second axis, where the first and second axes are substantially parallel and fixed relative to each other in use. A method for controlling such a levelling machine and an apparatus and method for removing casettes from the main frame of a levelling machine.
Claims36
A levelling machine comprising upper and lower work rolls for engaging a workpiece;
- upper and lower backup rollers supporting the work rolls against the workpiece;
- upper and lower backup carriers to which the upper and lower backup rollers are rotationally mounted respectively;
- a first pivot axis about which the lower backup carriers may pivot;
- a second pivot axis about which the upper backup carriers may pivot;
- wherein the first and second axes are substantially parallel and in use are fixed in position one relative to the other.
A method of levelling material using a levelling machine comprising upper work rolls and lower work rolls said lower work rolls being supported by a plurality of lower backup rollers, means of measuring the reaction load at support point for each backup roller and a Load Control Algorithm for controlling the process comprising the following steps:
- calculating the expected distribution of load at said support points assuming the lower work rolls to be slender beams carrying a uniformly distributed load over the contact area of the material and supported by the lower backup rollers;
- calculating the differences between said expected load distribution and a measured load distribution (XLO);
- adjusting machine parameters until said calculated difference (XLO) is near to or equal to zero.
A levelling machine comprising upper and lower work rolls supported by upper and lower backup carriers, means for measuring the reaction load at load points on the lower backup carriers;
- means of adjusting upward forces applied proximal the free end of each lower backup roller carrier so that calculated reaction loads are induced at load points located on the pivot axis of each lower backup roller carrier;
- wherein said calculated reaction loads are calculated by an algorithm based upon there being a uniformly distributed stress in the material being processed as it exits the fork rolls.
A method of removing part or all of a cassette from a levelling machine comprising the following steps:
- (a) supporting the cassette or part thereof on a support member that forms an integral part of the levelling machine said support member being in a first position within the main frame of the machine and being translocatable from said first position to a second position external of the main frame of the machine;
- (b) pushing the support member carrying the cassette or part thereof to the second position.
Levelling machine cassette removal apparatus, for removing at least part of a roller cassette from the main frame of a levelling machine comprising a support member that forms an integral part of the levelling machine wherein the support member is mounted translocatable from a first position within the main frame and located under and supporting part of all of the cassette of the machine to a second position external of the main frame of the machine, thus facilitating removal of part or all of the cassette from the machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.