Gripper means for stretcher leveler apparatus
AssigneeWashington Steel Corporation
InventorBertram A. Holloway
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gripper means for use in a stretcher leveler apparatus in which the surface for engagement with the metal to be stretched comprises a smooth polymeric material most desirably of a thermoset polyurethane.
Claims7
A stretcher leveler apparatus capable of applying up to 250,000 pounds of force comprising a first gripping jaw adapted to be closeable with an identically aligned second gripping jaw, whereby both jaws of a first pair can hold firmly one section of an uncoiled metal strip passing therebetween during the periods of high stress elongation of the strip length lying between the first pair defining one end of the metal strip and a second pair of opposing gripping jaws operating simultaneously at a distance from the first pair of jaws and forming the second end of the elongating strip section to be elongated, the improvement comprising each jaw having a gripper means consisting essentially of
- a. a high density, cast polyurethane gripping surface adapted for engagement with the metal section to be stretched and operatively anchored to the contact jaw faces, said gripping surface being positioned in a plane parallel to the surface of the metal to be engaged, and
- b. said gripping surface includes an integral reinforcing means made of steel adapted to maintain the transverse rigidity of the said surface during coil engagement and the forces incident to elongation of a strip length when up to 250,000 pounds of force are applied to the metal through the jaws, said gripping surface being operatively anchored to each jaw through the reinforcing means, said gripping surface being cast in situ on the reinforcing means.
A metal stretcher leveler gripper means comprising a substantially "T" shaped support member having a support surface made of steel and a cast polyurethane gripping surface mounted coextensively to said support surface, said gripping surface being positioned in a place parallel to the surface of the metal to be engaged, said gripping surface being cast in situ on the support surface of the support member, said gripping means capable of withstanding up to 250,000 pounds of force, said metal support having means for mounting said gripper means within a stretcher leveler apparatus comprising opposed gripper means spaced from one another and movable in opposite directions to stretch metal.
In a method for stretcher leveling metal between spaced ends of a length of said metal, said stretcher leveling capable of providing up to 250,000 pounds of force, the improvement comprising gripping the metal at one end of the metal to be stretched with a smooth polymeric surfaced gripping means comprising a thermoset polyurethane cast in situ on a support member made of steel and moving said one end gripped by said gripping means relative to the other end of the metal so as to stretch the metal between the ends of the length of metal.
In a method for stretcher leveling a metal, the improvement comprising gripping the surfaces of the metal to be stretched at opposite ends by contacting such metal surfaces with smooth polyurethane surfaces cast in situ on a support member made of steel, said polyurethane surfaces extending substantially the width of the metal and applying pressure to said polymeric surfaces thereby effecting the gripping of the metal and thereafter stretching the metal therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the pressure applied to said polyurethane surfaces by moving the gripped ends of the metal in opposite directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.