MXPA97002419A - Improved mounting provision for bond distributor in a modified chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for receiving a series of loops that descend along a vertical path from the supply end of a conveyor and to accumulate the loops thus received in an annular coil, a device for horizontally distributing the loops as they descend towards the apparatus, the device comprises: a) a ring that surrounds the vertical path, the ring has a cylindrical vertical wall and a horizontal rim that extends radially outwards, b) a curved guide member that extends around a segment of the ring and having front and rear ends, the guide member protrudes in a downward direction and angularly inward from the ring towards the vertical path, the extent of the internal extension being greater at the rear end than at the front end, c) mounting means for connecting the guide member to the ring, the mounting means can be coupled bidir eccentrically with the ring and adjust to accommodate vertical movement of the guide member in and out of the ring without auxiliary radial displacement of the guide member with respect to the ring, the mounting means includes adjustment means projecting radially outwardly from the member of guide in engagement with the vertical wall to adjust the angular position of the guide member relative to the ring; and d) means for rotationally driving the anil

Description

IMPROVED MOUNTING DEVICE FOR TIE DISTRIBUTOR IN A MODIFIER CHAMBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to modifying chambers in wire trains, and relates in particular to an improvement in the assembly of the rotating curved guide members used to distribute the loops of machine thread as they descend from the end of the wire. supply of a controlled cooling conveyor to the modifier chamber to accumulate in annular coils. 2- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE A known modifying chamber with a rotating curved guide member is described in the U.S. Patent. No. 5,273,231, granted on December 28, 1993. Experience has indicated that from time to time, the guiding member must be removed, either when exchanged by another guiding member in a different way to adapt to a change in the type or size of the product being rolled, or to clear the way for the removal of a stuck coil from a modifier chamber. In the latter case, vertical removal of the guide member is preferred, without any auxiliary radial or lateral displacement, which can be blocked by the jammed spool. In all cases, rapid removal and interchangeability is highly desirable, preferably without the need for tools or disassembling components. Also, there is a need for a field adjustment of the guide member to locate it appropriately with respect to its support structure. Conventional guide member mounting arrangements are unable to meet these objectives.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a horizontal ring, rotatably driven, surrounds the vertical path of a loop that descends towards the modifying chamber. The curved guide member is connected to the ring through a bi-directionally attachable mounting arrangement, which is adapted to facilitate vertical movement of the guide member on and out of the ring without lateral or radial auxiliary displacement of the guide member. The guide member, in this way, can be unrolled vertically without interference by a stuck stop spool. The mounting arrangement allows the precise adjustment of the guide member through a simple adjustment of the threaded elements, integrally associated. The mounting arrangement also makes it possible to quickly exchange one guide member for another, without using tools and without disassembling either the guide member or the associated associated components. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the upper portion of a modifier chamber with a rotating guide member mounted in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a partial plan view showing the ring member and the curved guide member; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ring member and the curved guide member; and Figure 4 is an enlargement of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED MODALITIES Referring initially to Figure 1, a coil modifier chamber is generally indicated at 10. The coil modifier chamber is positioned to receive a series of "L" loops that descend along a vertical "P" path from the end. of supply of a processing conveyor 12. Typically, the loops will be of steel bar, which has been coiled with heat and then deposited on the conveyor 12 for controlled cooling in a non-concentric, overlapping pattern. The modifier chamber 10 has an external cylindrical wall 14, which cooperates with a mandrel 16 centrally arranged to join the loops L in an annular coil. A ring 18 horizontally disposed surrounds the vertical path P. As best seen with reference to Figures 2 and 4, the ring includes a vertical indic cylindrical wall 18a and an annular rim 18b, which extends radially outwardly. The flange 18b is secured at 20 to the outer guide ring 22a of a circular bearing 22. The inner guide ring 22b of the bearing 22 is fixed to a shelf 24 extending outwardly from the wall 14 of the chamber. The outer guide ring 22a has gear teeth 26, which are engaged in a pinion 28 driven by a motor 30. In this way, the motor serves as a means to rotationally drive the ring 18. A curved guide member 32 extends around a segment of the ring 18. The guide member has front and rear ends 32a, 32b, and extends inwardly from the ring 18 towards the vertical path of the loop descending towards the modifying chamber. As best seen in Figure 2, the degree of inward extension of the guide member 32 is greater than the trailing end 32b, compared to the leading end 32a. The guide member 32 is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending brackets 34, which are received in notches 36 in the cylindrical ring wall 18a, and which overlap the outer annular rim 18b. Pins 38 are secured, for example by electrical spot welding, to the brackets 34. The pins 38 exit vertically downwards towards the holes in the annular flange 18b. As best seen in Figure 4, the guide member 32 extends inwardly at an angle a with respect to the cylindrical ring wall 18a to thereby define a wedge-shaped cavity therebetween. The guide member includes wedge-shaped filling pieces 44 disposed in the wedge-shaped cavity below the brackets 34. Screws 46 are threaded through the guide member to abut against the cylindrical ring wall 18a. In this way, it will be seen that the pins 38 and the pressure screws 46 constitute mounting means for the guide member 32, which is bidirectionally coupled with the ring 18. That is, the pins 38 are received in the annular flange 18b in vertical directions parallel to the path P of the loosening loop, and the pressing screws 46 engage the ring wall 18a radially with respect to the path P. As shown by the lines separated in Figure 3, this mounting arrangement allows that the guide member is lifted vertically out of the modifying chamber, without the need to use tools, and have to dismantle neither the guide member nor any of the associated components. In this way, a guide member can be quickly exchanged by another to adapt to different types and sizes of products. Also, in the case of a spool jamming in the modifier chamber, the guide member can be slid past the stop loop segments, as it is pulled vertically from the chamber.

The angular arrangement of guide member 32 can be varied through field adjustments to pressure screws 46, thus making it possible to achieve accurate positioning of the guide member with respect to its support structure. Optionally, additional threaded fasteners 48 may be employed to detachably secure the guide member 32 to the cylindrical ring wall 18a.

Claims (7)

1. An apparatus for receiving a series of loops which descend along a vertical path from the supply end of a conveyor and for accumulating the loops thus received in an annular coil, a device for horizontally distributing the loops as they descend towards the apparatus, said device comprising: a) a ring surrounding said vertical path, said ring having a vertical cylindrical wall and a horizontal flange extending radially outwardly; b) a curved guide member extending around a segment of said ring and having front and rear ends, said guide member extending inward from the ring towards the vertical path, the degree of said extension inward being greater , in said rear end, than in said forward end; c) mounting means for connecting said guide member to said ring, the mounting means being in mechanical interengagement vertically with said horizontal flange and in stop coupling horizontally with said vertical wall so as to adapt to the vertical positioning and removal of the limb member. guide on and outside the ring without the auxiliary radial displacement of said guide member with respect to the ring; and d) means for rotationally actuating said ring.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said guide member depends on said ring, and wherein the mounting means includes adjustment means engageable with said vertical wall to adjust the position of the guide member relative to said ring.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said guide member includes a plurality of brackets separated along the ring and configured to overlap said annular rim, said brackets being removably connected to said annular rim through members. of pin extending vertically between them.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said pin members are permanently attached to said brackets and are removably received in openings in the flange.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein said adjustment members comprise threaded pressure screws through said guide member to abut against said cylindrical wall.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein said mounting members further comprise screws that releasably attach said guide member to said cylindrical wall.

7. - The device according to claim 3, wherein said guide member extends angularly inward from said cylindrical wall to define, between them, a wedge-shaped cavity, and where wedge-shaped inserts are interposed between the Rich cylinder wall and guiding member in locations underlying said brackets. SUMMARY * An apparatus for receiving a series of loops which descend along a vertical path from the supply end of a conveyor and for accumulating the loops thus received to an annular coil, a device for horizontally distributing the loops. The device includes a ring that surrounds the vertical path. The ring has a vertical cylindrical wall and a horizontal flange that extends radially outward. A curved guide member extends around a segment of the ring and has front and rear ends. The guide member extends inward from the ring towards the vertical path, the extent of the extension being greater at the rear end than at the front end. The guide member is in mechanical interengagement with the horizontal flange and in horizontal stop coupling with the vertical wall to thereby adapt with the vertical positioning and removal of the guide member on or outside the ring without auxiliary radial displacement of the guide member with respect to to the ring.