US 5,169,275 A · Automatic slab turner

Abstract

Handling apparatus for metal slabs comprising a slab turner and a transfer cart. The slab turner receives the metal slab and transfers it to a bunk on the cart which tilts the slab so that one surface of the slab is upward. The cart moves the slab through a scarfing station which scarfs the upwardly-directed surface of the slab. The cart moves back to the slab turner and the slab turner cooperates with the transfer cart to receive the slab from the transfer cart and return the slab to the transfer cart bunk with the opposite surface upward, whereupon the transfer cart again moves the slab into the scarfing station for scarfing the opposite surface. In the scarfing station, the transfer cart supports the slab in a tilted position by toe portions underlying one edge of the slab, and enables rotation of the slab to a generally horizontal position which exposes the edge which supports the slab in the tilted position, so that the edge may be scarfed while the slab is generally horizontal.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A mechanism for positioning on a carrier a slab having opposite surfaces comprising a support structure, and a bunk adapted to support the slab with one surface of the slab facing upward and being pivotally-mounted on said support structure for rotation about a bunk axis of rotation, said support structure having means for rotating said bunk and means for linearly displacing said bunk perpendicular to said bunk axis, first means to displace said bunk relative to said slab while the slab is horizontal to enable transfer of the slab while horizontal between said bunk and a carrier, and a second means to displace said bunk relative to the slab while the slab is non-horizontal to enable transfer of the slab while non-horizontal between said bunk and the carrier.

A system for rotating and handling a slab requiring surface conditioning having a top and bottom flat surface, and a first and second side surface, comprising:

a slab turner having a turner support structure and a turner bunk adapted to receive the slab, said turner bunk defining a turner bunk flat plane and being pivotally-mounted on said turner support structure for rotation about a turner bunk axis of rotation, said turner support structure including a turner support base, and having means for rotating said turner bunk about said bunk axis, and means for linearly displacing said turner bunk in a direction perpendicular to said turner bunk axis;
a carrier having a cart support structure and a cart bunk adapted to receive the slab at a transfer position on said cart bunk, said cart bunk defining a cart bunk flat plane and being pivotally-mounted on a cart support structure, and means for rotating said cart bunk about a cart bunk axis of rotation on said cart support structure;
said turner support structure having first means to displace said turner bunk relative to said slab while the slab is horizontal to enable transfer of the slab while horizontal between said turner bunk and said carrier and,
second means to displace said turner bunk relative to the slab while the slab is non-horizontal to enable transfer of the slab while non-horizontal between said turner bunk and said carrier.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic slab turner

Life of this patent

Automatic slab turner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16