Method and apparatus for straightening pipe

An apparatus for straightening pipe including,

• a main frame structure,
• a central upper roll stand within the frame structure and having dual rolls for engaging the upper structure of the pipe being straightened,
• means mounting said central upper roll stand for vertical movement with respect to the pipe to thereby control the force applied to the pipe by the dual rolls of said stand,
• means mounting the dual rolls of said central roll stand to dispose said rolls at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe being straightened,
• a pair of lower roll stands within the frame structure, with said stands being located one on each side in a horizontal direction from the central upper roll stand,
• means mounting each lower roll stand for independent movement in a horizontal direction parallel to the axis of the pipe,
• each lower roll stand having dual rolls mounted thereon for supporting and applying upward forces to the pipe to be straightened as the pipe moves through the apparatus,
• means mounting the dual rolls of each lower roll stand to dispose said rolls at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe being straightened,
• a pair of upper outer roll stands within the frame structure, one on each side of the central upper roll stand and also located outwardly of the lower roll stands in a horizontal direction, each stand having a roll for engaging the pipe to be straightened,
• means mounting each of said upper outer roll stands for independent movement in a horizontal direction along the pipe being straightened to permit the position of the roll of each such outer roll stand to be adjusted in said horizontal direction relative to the rolls of the lower and the central roll stands,
• means also mounting each of said upper outer roll stands for independent movement in a vertical direction relative to the pipe being straightened to apply the desired downward force to said pipe,
• means mounting the roll of each upper outer roll stand to dispose said roll at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe being straightened,
• means independently rotating at least some of the rolls of the roll stands, whereby said rotating rolls impart movement to the pipe being straightened to move the pipe through the apparatus while all rolls apply predetermined forces in preselected areas to the pipe to thereby accomplish the straightening operation,
• independent power actuating means operatively connected to each of the roll stands to move an associated roll stand in its respective direction of movement independently of the other roll stands, and
• individual control means operatively connected to each roll stand forming part of the associated power actuating means for each such roll stand and controlling actuation of the associated roll of such stand, said control means and power actuating means for each roll stand being operable independently of such means for other roll stands while the pipe is being straightened and moving through the apparatus in a horizontal direction whereby predetermined movements of selected roll stands with respect to each other and relative to the pipe being straightened are occurring during a continuous operation of the apparatus.

An apparatus for straightening elements including

• a main frame structure,
• at least a pair of lower roll stands within the frame structure, each lower roll stand having a roll for supporting the element to be straightened as said element moves through the apparatus in a horizontal direction,
• means mounting each lower roll stand for independent individual movement in a horizontal direction and parallel to the axis of the element being straightened,
• actuating means operatively connected to each lower roll stand to selectively move the same in said horizontal direction,
• a central upper roll stand within the frame structure having a roll for engaging the element being straightened and located between the lower roll stands,
• means mounting said central upper roll stand for vertical movement only whereby the roll thereof may engage the element being straightened to exert a downward pressure on that area of said element which is located between said lower roll stands,
• operation of the actuating means for each lower roll stand moving such lower roll stand relative to the central upper roll stand in a horizontal direction to change the effective lever arm formed between the roll of said lower roll stand and the roll of the central upper stand, and thereby control the bending force being applied to the element by said lower roll and the roll of the central upper stand,
• a pair of upper outer roll stands within the frame structure, one on each side of the upper central roll stand and each outer roll stand having a roll for engaging the element being straightened,
• means mounting each outer roll stand for movement in a vertical direction and for independent individual movement in a horizontal direction relative to the element being straightened, whereby the roll of each outer stand engages the element being straightened in predetermined area spaced outwardly from the upper central roll stand and from the closest lower roll stand,
• actuating means operatively connected to each upper outer roll stand to selectively move the same in said horizontal direction,
• operation of the actuating means for each upper outer roll stand moving such upper outer roll stand relative to the nearest lower roll stand in said horizontal direction to change the effective lever arm formed between the roll of said upper outer roll stand and the roll of said nearest lower roll stand and thereby control the bending force being applied to the element by said upper outer roll and the roll of said nearest lower roll stand,
• means mounting each roll in each stand to individually and selectively dispose each roll in a skewed and engaged position relative to the element being straightened,
• means rotating at least some of the rolls of the roll stands whereby said rolls impart movement to the element being straightened to move said element through the apparatus while applying predetermined leverage forces in preselected areas to said element to thereby accomplish the straightening operation,
• a hydraulic control system forming part of the actuating means for each roll stand and controlling actuation of the roll of such stand, said system and actuating means being operable while an element is being straightened in the apparatus, and
• an individual control for each hydraulic system to control the same, whereby the operation of the apparatus need not be stopped while movements of the roll stands with respect to each other and relative to the element are occurring.

An apparatus for straightening an elongated element of a circular cross section in a continuous operation as the element is moving through the apparatus in a horizontal direction, said apparatus comprising:

• a main frame structure,
• at least a pair of horizontally spaced lower roll stands within the frame structure, each roll stand having a roll for supporting the element as the element moves through the apparatus in a horizontal direction,
• means mounting each lower roll stand for independent individual movement in a horizontal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element,
• a central upper roll stand within the frame structure located between the pair of lower roll stands and having a roll for engaging the element,
• means mounting said central upper roll stand for vertical movement whereby the roll thereof may engage the element to exert a downward pressure on the area of the element located between the lower roll stands,
• a pair of upper outer roll stands within the frame structure on opposite sides of the center upper roll stand and horizontally outwardly of the lower roll stands, each upper roll stand having a roll for engaging the element to be straightened,
• means mounting each upper outer roll stand for independent movement in a horizontal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said element,
• independent power actuating means operatively connected to each of the roll stands to move an associated roll stand in its respective direction of movement independently of the other roll stands,
• the operation of the power actuating means for each lower roll stand moving such lower roll stand in a horizontal direction relative to the central upper roll stand to change the effective lever arm formed between the associated rolls of said lower roll stand and said central upper stand to control the bending force being applied to the element by said associated rolls,
• the operation of the power actuating means for each upper outer roll stand moving such upper outer roll stand in a horizontal direction relative to the nearest lower roll stand to change the effective lever arm formed between the associated rolls of said upper outer roll stand and said nearest lower roll stand to control the bending force being applied to the element by such associated rolls,
• means rotating at least some of the rolls of the roll stands whereby said rolls impart movement to the element to move the element through the apparatus, and
• individual control means operatively connected to each roll stand forming part of the associated power actuating means for each such roll stand to control actuation of the associated roll of each such stand, said control means and associated power actuating means for each roll stand being operable independently of such means for other roll stands while an element is being straightened and moving through the apparatus in a horizontal direction whereby the operation of the apparatus is continuous while movements of selected roll stands with respect to each other and relative to the element being straightened are occurring.

An apparatus for straightening an elongated element of a circular cross section in a continuous operation as the element is moving through the apparatus in a horizontal direction, said apparatus comprising:

• a main frame structure,
• at least a pair of horizontally spaced inner roll stands within the frame structure on one side of the element, each inner roll stand having a roll for contacting the element as the element moves through the apparatus in a horizontal direction,
• means mounting each inner roll stand on said one side of the element for independent individual movement in a horizontal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element,
• a central roll stand within the frame structure located on the opposed side of the element and positioned longitudinally along the element between the pair of inner roll stands on said one side of the element, said central roll stand having a roll for engaging the element,
• a pair of outer roll stands within the frame structure on the opposed side of the element and on opposite sides of the center roll stand and horizontally outwardly of said inner roll stands, each outer roll stand having a roll for engaging the element to be straightened,
• means mounting each outer roll stand for independent movement in a horizontal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said element,
• means mounting the roll stands on one of said sides of the element for individual vertical movement whereby the rolls thereof may engage the element to exert a pressure tranversely on the element,
• independent actuating means operatively connected to the mounting means for each of the roll stands to move an associated roll stand in its respective direction of movement independently of the other roll stands,
• the operation of the actuating means for each inner roll stand moving such inner roll stand in a horizontal direction relative to the central roll stand to change the effective lever arm formed between the associated rolls of such inner roll stand and said central roll stand to control the bending force being applied to the element by said associated rolls,
• the operation of the actuating means for each outer roll stand moving such outer roll stand in a horizontal direction relative to the nearest inner roll stand to change the effective lever arm formed between the associated rolls of such outer roll stand and said nearest inner roll stand to control the bending force being applied to the element by such associated rolls,
• means rotating at least some of the rolls of the roll stands whereby said rolls impart movement to the element to move the element through the apparatus, and
• individual control means operatively connected to each roll stand forming part of the associated actuating means for each such roll stand to control actuation of the associated roll of each such stand, said control means and associated actuating means for each roll stand being operable independently of such means for other roll stands while an element is being straightened and moving through the apparatus in a horizontal direction whereby the operation of the apparatus is continuous while movements of selected roll stands with respect to each other and relative to the element being straightened are occurring.