Title of Invention

A METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR GUIDING AND SUPPORTING A THIN SHEET METAL OR METAL STRIP

Abstract The invention relates to a method and a device for guiding and supporting a comparatively thin sheet or metal strip (1) during transport over a conveying device (10) such as a rolling table and/or during, before or after a cutting process taking place when passing through shears (3). The invention is characterized in that the sheet or metal strip (1) at least on its lower side (1') is subjected to high-energy beams (2, 2') of a liquid or gaseous medium emitted by jet nozzles (5, 5') and thus supported and guided by pulse energy.
Full Text The invention relates to a method and a device for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip during transport across a conveying device, such as a rolling table, and/or during, before or after a cutting process when passing through shears, wherein the sheet metal or strip at least at its underside is loaded with an energy-rich bundle of jets of a liquid or gaseous medium and is thereby supported and guided by means of impulse energy and the medium is guided under pressure through supply channels in the interior of the transport and/or blade carrier drums to jet nozzles at their periphery and exits a closed jet from them before and/or behind the support areas of the drum, or as closely as possible adjacent to the blades of the blade drum, against the sheet metal or strip at a slant or a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the sheet metal or strip.
In the rolling technology, it has been proven particularly difficult in practice to safely guide thin sheet metal or strips across a conveying device, such as a rolling table, or to shears because thin strips have the tendency to drop or lift after leaving a guiding element and, as a result of this, to impact a subsequently arranged device or a guide element or to fly up and to thereby become deformed. In particular, this problem is observed in connection with shears, without cutting action but also during cutting, when the leading edge of the strip passes through.
In accordance with the developmental tendency toward sheet metal or metal strips that are thinner and thinner, in particular, of non-ferrous metals such as copper or aluminum, but also in connection with very thin steel sheet, this phenomenon results in increasingly greater difficulties. Up to now, no practice-oriented and safe solution has been found for overcoming them.

DE 14 27 231 discloses a device for dividing rolling stock, in particular, sheet metal strips to commercial lengths by means of shears with carriages with a clasping member, wherein the carriage are arranged at the inlet side upstream of the shears and movable along the transport path. The clamping carriage arranged at the inlet side continuously measures the advancement of the sheet metal by means of a pulse generator within the pulse graduation. When a preselected partial length of the sheet metal portion has passed through the cutting plane of the shears, the sheet metal advancement is stopped by means of a digital control member. The one or more clamping carriages grip the transported goods from above and comprise, for temporary coupling the transported goods, solenoids or tongues that are hydraulically operated or operated by known means.
The closest prior art is disclosed in the document DE-C 944 919. This document discloses a method for guiding and supporting a material strip during transport across a conveying device such as roll table and/or during, before or after a cutting process when passing through shears, wherein the material strip is supported at least at its underside with energy-rich bundles of jets of a gaseous medium and is thereby supported and guided by impulse energy. The gaseous medium is guided out of the interior of the drums by means of jet nozzles on the drum periphery.
Based on the aforementioned prior art, it is an object of the invention to safely guide thin sheet metal or strips during transport across a conveying device, such as a roll table, and/or during, before or after a cutting process when passing through shears and to have the medium act only in that area which is

beneficial for stabilizing the strip, and, on the other hand, to prevent an ineffective media use and, at the same time, to avoid flooding of the surroundings of the strip or the shears and the transport device with excess medium.
As a solution to this object it is proposed with the invention in connection with a method as described herein that the medium, by means of a rotary valve arranged at an end face of the rotatable transport or blade drum, exits in a limited angular position of a drum from jet nozzles directed against the sheet metal or metal strip.
Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are provided according to the features of the dependent claims.
Because the stabilization of the strip and particularly of the leading edge of the strip or of the strip head is not provided by mechanical means, but by means of impulse energy of a jet bundle or a liquid or gaseous medium, a collision or impact of the strip or the leading edge of the strip or the strip head on a construction component of any possible type of the roll table or the shears is safely prevented. The jet nozzles can be arranged according to the invention about the entire strip width or across the entire drum length.
Accordingly the present invention provides a method for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip during transport across a conveying device, such as a rolling table, and/or during, before or after a cutting process when passing through shears, wherein the sheet metal or strip is loaded at least

from its underside with energy-rich jet bundles of a liquid or gaseous medium and is thus supported and guided by means of impulse energy and wherein the medium is guided under pressure through supply channels in the interior of the transport and/or blade carrier drums to jet nozzles at their peripheries and exits as a closed jet from them before and/or behind the support areas of the drums or as closely as possible adjacent to the blades of the blade drum against the sheet metal or strip at a slant or at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the sheet metal or strip, characterized in that the medium flows out of the jet nozzles oriented against the sheet metal or metal strip in a limitable angular position of a drum by employing a rotary valve, preferably arranged at an end face of a rotatable transport or blade carrier drum.
It is achieved in an advantageous way that the medium is effective only in the area which is beneficial for stabilizing the strip and that, on the other hand, no inefficient media use takes place. At the same time, overflowing of the direct vicinity of the strip or the shears of the conveying device with excess medium is prevented.
One embodiment of the method provides that for chisel-type shears comprising a lower or upper drum, provided with a cutting chisel, and a counter drum configured as an anvil, the sheet metal or strip to be cut is loaded with at least one medium jet, respectively, out of each of the drums preferably before and/or behind the cutting plane from above and/or from below. This provides a particularly efficient stabilization of the strip or sheet metal passing through, and this in connection with an economically acceptable expenditure of stabilizing medium.

According to another embodiment of the method it is provided that in connection with shearing-off shears, comprising a blade drum each with a blade having oppositely oriented cutting edges, respectively, the sheet metal or strip to be cut is loaded before and/or behind the separating plane with a supporting medium jet or, a plurality of such medium jets from above and/or from below.
This achieves the goal that the strip or sheet metal is lifted off the blade drum in order to better guide it to the devices downstream. For example, the jet nozzles in the smooth anvil drum are to prevent riveting and thus adhesion of the cut leading edge of the strip, and, moreover, an adhesion on the chisel or blade.
Finally, the method according to the invention provides further that during advancing of the sheet metal or strip, in particular, during introduction of its head into the shears, the entry of the head into the area of a guide wedge, arranged stationarily upstream of the shears, as well as its advancing speed are determined by signaling device and the head is loaded from below by at least one row of medium jets exiting from the guide wedge approximately perpendicularly against the sheet metal or strip and is guided thereby.
Accordingly the present invention also provides a device for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip, in particular, for performing the method according to the invention, comprising transport drums and/or blade carrier drums, wherein the drums at their periphery have jet nozzles arranged in axis-parallel alignment in at least one row which, upon loading with a medium, are oriented against the top surface and/or bottom surface of the sheet metal or the metal strip, wherein the jet nozzles are connectable, starting at supply

channels extending in the interior of the drums, with sources provided external to the drums with connecting members for a medium that can be supplied under pressure, characterized in that at least one pump and at least one rotary valve are arranged between the supply channels of a drum and a source for a medium that can be supplied under pressure, wherein the rotary valve is arranged preferably at an end face of a drum.
Further advantageous embodiments of the device are provided according to the characterizing features of the dependent claims of the device.
In this connection, the measure can be used advantageously that in the case of a drum provided with a blade or a cutting chisel the jet nozzles of a row are arranged as closely as possible adjacent to the blade and/or the chisel.
In a further development of the invention it is provided that the guide wedges comprise jet nozzles on supply channels provided for media and that the latter are connected to media supply lines with a pressure pump and a media source arranged therein and that above the sheet metal or strip a signal device monitoring the entry of the strip is arranged which communicates by means of a control signal line with the motor of the pump.
Further details, features, and advantages of the invention result from the following explanation of several embodiments illustrated, schematically in the drawings. It is shown in:

Fig. 1 in a representation similar to a flow sheet a transport drum with supply channels and jet nozzles arranged therein, with a rotary valve at the end face, pressure pump, and media source;
Fig. 2 in a side view and partially in section, shearing-off shears with an arrangement of the jet nozzles according to the invention;
Fig. 3 in a side view a similar arrangement with chisel-type shears furnished according to the invention with jet nozzles;
Fig. 4 in a side view shears with stationary guide wedges arranged upstream and downstream and with jet nozzles arranged therein.
The purely schematic illustration of Fig. 1 shows supply channels 4 arranged in a transport drum 7 for supplying the jet nozzles 5 and 5" formed therein. Opposite the end face of the transport drum 7 a rotary valve 9 is arranged which is connected with a central bore 20 to a conveying line 23, extending from a pressure pump 22, for a liquid medium. The rotary valve 9 is arranged so as to be non-rotatable while the transport drum 7 rotates relative thereto when functioning as a transport drum 7 or blade drum 8, as is known in the art. Connecting channels 21,21" beginning at the central bore 20 and having exit openings at the side facing the end face of the transport drum 7 are provided in the rotary valve 9. Medium that is under pressure is released always when the openings of the supply channels 4 coincide with the oppositely oriented openings of the connecting channels 21 in the rotational direction to thus allow flow in a limited angular range. In other angular positions of the transport drum 7, the supply channels 4 of the transport drum 7 cannot be flushed with pressure medium. It is also possible to adjust different ejection widths with the jet nozzles.

Moreover, the pressure pump 22 with its motor 22" can be controlled via a signal and switching device, similar to the device illustrated in Fig. 4, for example, according to the requirements of an incoming metal strip 1. The pressure pump 22 takes in a liquid medium front the medium source 24 through the intake line 24.
Fig. 2 shows as an example a blade carrier drum 8, 8" with a device for guiding and supporting a comparatively thin sheet metal of metal strip 1. The blade carrier drums are provided with blades 6 in a manner known in the art which interact with one another and cut the metal strip 1 in the cutting plane y-y when contacting one another. The latter is transported on the rolling table 10 and during the cutting process is guided and stabilized from below or from below and from above by bundles of jets 2, 2" exiting from the jet nozzles 5. The jet nozzles 5, 5" are arranged such that they secure at both sides of the cutting plane y-y the strip 1 in the given position and, in particular, prevent a slanting out of the transport direction. Moreover, in regard to the shearing-off shears 13, same elements are identified with same reference numerals.
In Fig. 3 a similar arrangement is shown with the difference that the shears are chisel-type shears 3 with a cutting chisel 11 wherein a counter drum 8" is correlated with the blade drum 8 provided with the chisel. In this connection, it must be prevented that the strip 1 during cutting by the cutting chisel 11 is riveted to the smooth surface or adheres thereto because then the cut leading edge of the strip would be deformed. Accordingly, the blade drum 8 and, in particular, the anvil drum 8" are provided with supply channels 4 in the aforementioned axis-parallel arrangement which have jet nozzles from which jet bundles 2, 2" of a liquid medium exit and reliably prevent the leading edge of

the strip that has been cut from being riveted to or adhering on the counter drum 8".
Fig. 4 shows a further similar arrangement with chisel-type Shears 3 in which between the shears and the rolling table 10 guide wedges 15 are arranged. They have jet nozzles 5 for medium-loaded supply channels 4 which are connected to medium supply lines 29 having a pressure pump 27 arranged therein. Above the sheet metal or metal strip 1 a signaling device 19 monitoring the introduction of the strip at the strip head 16 is provided, wherein the signaling device is in communication via a signal line 26 with the motor 28 of the pressure pump. The pressure pump is supplied with the liquid medium in a manner known in the art from the medium source 25 by means of a suction line. The passage of the strip head 16 of the metal strip 1 is detected by the signaling device 19 which then activates via the signal line 26 the switch for the motor 28 and thus starts the pressure pump 27. The latter conveys the pressure medium through the supply line 29 via the supply channels 4 to the jet nozzles 5. The principle holds true for all jet nozzles, also those in the drums. A signaling device must detected the strip head and the cut. The jet nozzles are then loaded only briefly at the strip head and the cut. The signal can also be used by a device which is already present anyway.
Moreover, the chisel drum of the chisel-type shears 3 is in communication via the rotary valve 9 (not shown in Fig. 4) with the supply channel 4" and the jet nozzles 5" such that a bundled medium jet 2" exits with high energy from below against the metal strip 1 in the area of the strip head 16 and prevents that the comparatively thin and bendable strip 1 bends downwardly and impacts against the guide wedge 15" to the right and is thereby deformed.

Only during the further course of the strip transport, after a certain amount of time or a measured advancing of the metal strip 1, the chisel-type shears 3 are activated and a predetermined length of strip is cut off, wherein the supply channels 4" of the chisel drum and the counter drum previously unused cooperate with the rotary valve 9 take over the guiding of the strip 1 by means of energy-rich media jets.





WE CLAIM :
1. A method for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip (1) during transport across a conveying device (10), such as a rolling table, and/or during, before or after a cutting process when passing through shears (3), wherein the sheet metal or strip (1) is loaded at least from its underside (1") with energy-rich jet bundles (2, 2") of a liquid or gaseous medium and is thus supported and guided by means of impulse energy and wherein the medium is guided under pressure through supply channels (4) in the interior of the transport and/or blade carrier drums (7, 8) to jet nozzles (5) at their peripheries and exits as a closed jet (2) from them before and/or behind the support areas of the drums or as closely as possible adjacent to the blades (6) of the blade drum (8) against the sheet metal or strip (1) at a slant or at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the sheet metal or strip (1), characterized in that the medium flows out of the jet nozzles (5) oriented against the sheet metal or metal strip (1) in a limitable angular position of a drum (7, 8) by employing a rotary valve (9), preferably arranged at an end face of a rotatable transport or blade carrier drum (7, 8).
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signaling device detects the strip head or the strip cut and the jet nozzles (5) at the strip head or strip cut are then loaded only briefly with medium.
3 A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the case of transport drums of a rolling table the jet nozzles during the respective pass of the strip head are briefly successively loaded with medium.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the case of chisel-type shears, comprising an upper or lower drum (8) provided with a cutting chisel (11) and a counter drum (8") formed as an anvil, the sheet metal or strip (1) to be cut is loaded with at least one medium jet (2, 2") out of each of the drums (6, 8"), preferably before and/or behind the cutting plane (y-y) from above and/or from below.
5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the case of shearing-off shears (13), comprising a blade drum (8, 8") each with a blade (6, 6") having oppositely positioned edges, the sheet metal or strip (1) to be separated is loaded, respectively, before and/or behind the cutting plane (y-y) with a supporting medium jet or several such medium jets (2, 2") from above and/or from below.
6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein upon advancing
of the sheet metal or strip (1), in particular, during introduction of its head (16)
into the chisel-type shears (3), the entry of the head (16) in the area of the guide
wedge (15) arranged stationarily upstream of the chisel-type shears (3) as well
as its advancing speed are determined by a signaling device (19) and the head
(16) is loaded and guided by at least one row of medium jets (2, 2") exiting from
the guide wedge (15) from below approximately perpendicularly against the
sheet metal or strip (1).
7. A device for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip (1),
in particular, for performing the method as claimed in claims 1 to 6, comprising

transport drums and/or blade carrier drums (7, 8), wherein the drums at their periphery have jet nozzles (5) arranged in axis-parallel alignment in at least one row which, upon loading with a medium, are oriented against the top surface and/or bottom surface of the sheet metal or the metal strip, wherein the jet nozzles (5) are connectable, starting at supply channels (4) extending in the interior of the drums (7, 8), with sources (25) provided external to the drums (7, 8) with connecting members (21, 21") for a medium that can be supplied under pressure, characterized in that at least one pump (22) and at least one rotary valve (9) are arranged between the supply channels (4) of a drum (7, 8) and a source (25) for a medium that can be supplied under pressure, wherein the rotary valve is arranged preferably at an end face of a drum (7, 8).
8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein between the chisel-type shears
(3) and the rolling table (10) guide wedges (15) are arranged, the guide wedges
(15) comprise jet nozzles (5) on supply channels (4) provided for a medium, and
that they are connected to media supply lines (29) with a pressure pump (27)
arranged therein and a media source (25), and that above the sheet metal or strip
(1) a signaling device (19) monitoring the entry of the strip is arranged which is
in communication with the motor (28) of the pump (27) via a control signal line
(26)
9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the jet width of the jet nozzles (5) is adjustable.
10. A device as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein in the case of transport drums of a rolling table the jet nozzles are distributed radially on the periphery of the drum.

11. A method for guiding and supporting a thin sheet metal or metal strip, substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

in-pct-2001-0185-che-abstract-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-abstract.jpg

in-pct-2001-0185-che-abstract.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-claims-duplicatein-pct-2001-0185-che-.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-claims.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-correspondence-others.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-correspondence-po.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-description (complete).pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-drawings-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-drawings.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-form-1.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-form-19.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-form-26.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-form-3.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-form-5.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-others.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-pct.pdf

in-pct-2001-0185-che-petition.pdf


Patent Number 215977
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2001/185/CHE
PG Journal Number 13/2008
Publication Date 31-Mar-2008
Grant Date 05-Mar-2008
Date of Filing 07-Feb-2001
Name of Patentee SMS SCHLOEMANN-SIEMAG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address Eduard-Schloemann-Strasse 4, 40237 Dusseldorf,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 Dr. Gunter KNEPPE Theodor-Heuss-Strasse 11, D-57271 Hilchenbach,
2 Dr. Jochen MUNKER Ausser dem Schlag 14, D-57223 Kreuztal,
3 Horst GRAFE Talsperrenstrasse 3, D-57271 Hilchenbach,
4 Jurgen SEIDEL Feuerdornweg 8, D-57223 Kreuztal,
PCT International Classification Number B23D 25/12
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP99/05116
PCT International Filing date 1999-07-17
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 19832925.3 1998-07-22 Germany