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US 4,540,872 AGranted
Apparatus for rotating a generally cylindrical heavy workpiece for treatment
AssigneeDayton Machine Tool Company
InventorG. Daniel Siler
Life of this patent
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AssigneeDayton Machine Tool Company
InventorG. Daniel Siler
Estimating the term…
A large generally cylindrical workpiece is supported for rotation and driven by a set of axially spaced floor supported units each including a pair of parallel spaced cradle rolls. The cradle rolls of each unit are supported by a surrounding frame, and a pair of trunnions support each frame and cradle rolls for tilting movement on a transverse axis. Each unit also has a set of power operated screw jacks which precisely position the cradle rolls at a selected elevation, and the cradle rolls of one unit have resilient outer surfaces and are driven by an endless chain drive system. The cradle rolls of another unit are positioned within a cooling liquid to prevent overheating of the rolls by a heated workpiece, and each unit carries air inflatible flotation cells to facilitate moving the unit. A horizontal track extends parallel to the cradle rolls and supports a carriage having a portion projecting cantileveredly above the workpiece. The carriage portion supports a workpiece treating unit or head and automatically adjusts vertically for changes in workpiece diameter. A tailstock unit includes a vertically adjustable horizontal spindle supporting a center tool engaging the end of the workpiece, and a signal generator senses the speed of rotation of the spindle for precisely controlling the movement of the carriage.
Apparatus for rotatably supporting an elongated generally cylindrical workpiece having substantial weight, said apparatus comprising a pair of parallel spaced cradle rolls defining a nest for receiving and supporting the workpiece, a frame receiving said rolls, means mounted on said frame and supporting said rolls for rotation on their axes, a set of frame support members spaced with said frame therebetween, shaft means supported by said support members and supporting said frame and said cradle rolls for pivotal movement as a unit on an axis extending transversely to the axes of said rolls, a base member adapted to rest on a floor surface, a plurality of jacks mounted on said base member and supporting said frame support members, means for operating said jacks for raising or lowering said frame support members to position the workpiece at a precise elevation with said cradle rolls, and said base member and said jacks being spaced from said frame to provide for tilting movement of said unit including said frame and said cradle rolls.
Apparatus for rotatably supporting an elongated generally cylindrical workpiece having substantial weight, said apparatus comprising a set of axially spaced shaft support units, each said unit including a pair of parallel spaced cradle rolls defining a nest for receiving and supporting the workpiece, a frame receiving said rolls, means mounted on said frame and supporting said rolls for rotation on their axes, a set of trunnion members spaced with said frame therebetween, shaft means supported by said trunnion members and supporting said frame and said cradle rolls for pivotal movement as a unit on an axis extending transversely to the axes of said rolls, each said unit further including a base member adapted to rest on a floor surface, a plurality of mechanical screw jacks mounted on said base member and supporting said trunnion members, means for operating said jack simultaneously for raising or lowering said trunnion members to position the workpiece at a precise elevation with said cradle rolls, and said base member and said jacks being spaced from said frame to provide for tilting movement of said unit including said frame and said cradle rolls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.