Apparatus and method for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape

Claim 2

Apparatus for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape comprising at least tHree shoe members having outer surfaces for respectively engaging the internal surface of the core of a deformed roll, each of said members having opposite ends with its outer surface having an outward arcuate curvature between said ends which defines a segment of a circle having a diameter generally equal to the inside diameter of an undeformed core, means for pivotally connecting said members together in end-to-end relationship whereby said members may be pivotally expanded from a partially collapsed position to an expanded position, and power means selectively positionable between and acting outwardly upon at least any two of said members for respectively exerting outward force thereon thereby pivotally to expand said members.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are at least four of said members, each of said members having one end pivotally connected to an end of one adjoining member and its opposite end pivotally connected to an end of the other adjoining member.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power means comprises a hydraulic ram having a piston rod with a distal end acting upon at least one of said members and a cylinder with a closed end acting upon at least one other of said members whereby extension of said piston rod pivotally expands said members.

Claim 5

Apparatus for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape comprising at least two shoe members having outer surfaces for respectively engaging the internal surface of the core of a deformed roll, each of said members having opposite ends with its outer surface having an outward arcuate curvature between said ends which defines a segment of a circle having a diameter generally equal to the inside diameter of an undeformed core, means for pivotally connecting said members together in end-to-end relationship whereby said members may be pivotally expanded from a partially collapsed position to an expanded position, and power means positioned between and acting outwardly upon at least two of said members for respectively exerting outward force thereon thereby pivotally to expand said members, said power means comprising a pair of transversely spaced-apart, force-exerting elements, one of said elements acting upon at least one of said members and the other of said elements acting upon at least one other of said members, said elements being laterally separable in a transverse direction, a hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod extensible in a longitudinal direction generally normal to said transverse direction, and a toggle linkage coupling said piston rod to said elements whereby extension of said piston rod separates said elements thereby pivotally expanding said members.

Claim 6

Apparatus for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape comprising at least two shoe members having outer surfaces for respectively engaging the internal surface of the core of a deformed roll, each of said members having opposite ends with its outer surface having an outward arcuate curvature between said ends which defines a segment of a circle having a diameter generally equal to the inside diameter of an undeformed core, means for pivotally connecting said members together in end-to-end relationship whereby said members may be pivotally expanded from a partially collapsed position to an expanded position, and power means positioned between and acting outwardly upon at least two of said members for respectively exerting outward force thereon thereby pivotally to expand said members, said power means comprising a pair of transversely spaced-apart, force-exerting elements, one of said elements acting upon at least one of said members and the other of said elements acting upon at least one other of said members, said elements being laterally separable in a transverse direction, a hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod extensible in a longitudinal direction generally normal to said transverse direction, and a toggle linkage coupling said piston rod to said elements whereby extension of said piston rod separates said elements thereby pivotally expanding said members.

Claim 7

Apparatus for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape comprising at least four shoe members having outer surfaces for respectively engaging the internal surface of the core of a deformed roll, each of said members having opposite ends with its outer surface having an outward arcuate curvature between said ends which defines a segment of a circle having a diameter generally equal to the inside diameter of an undeformed core, means for pivotally connecting said members together in end-to-end relationship whereby said members may be pivotally expanded from a partially collapsed position to an expanded position, said outer surfaces of said members generally lying on said circle in said expanded position, there being two outer members each having a distal end and an opposite end pivotally connected to an end of an adjoining member, and power means respectively positioned between and acting outwardly upon said outer two of said members and at least one other of said members for respectively exerting outward force thereon thereby pivotally to expand said members.

Claim 8

Apparatus for restoring deformed rolls of sheet stock to cylindrical shape comprising at least four shoe members having outer surfaces for respectively engaging the internal surface of the core of a deformed roll, each of said members having opposite ends with its outer surface having an outward arcuate curvature between said ends which defines a segment of a circle having a diameter generally equal to the inside diameter of an undeformed core, means for pivotally connecting said members together in end-to-end relationship whereby said members may be pivotally expanded from a partially collapsed position to an expanded position, said outer surfaces of said members generally lying on said circle in said expanded position, there being two outer members each having a distal end and an opposite end pivotally connected to an end of an adjoining member, and power means respectively positioned between and acting outwardly upon said outer two of said members and at least one other of said members for respectively exerting outward force thereon thereby pivotally to expand said members.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said power means is removably positioned between said members, and further comprising means for retaining said members in said expanded position whereby said power means may be removed therefrom.

Claim 10

The appAratus of claim 5 wherein said power means includes a first force-exerting element engaging said distal ends of said outer members, and a second force-exerting element engaging at least one other of said members.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there are five of said members, said power means respectively acting upon said outer two of said members and the middle one of said members.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said outer two members are respectively shorter than the remaining members.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said distal ends of said outer members are closely spaced-apart in said expanded position whereby said outer surfaces nearly complete said circle.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power means includes a pair of laterally separable, force-exerting elements, one of said elements removably engaging said middle member, and further comprising an intermediate member removably engaging the other of said elements, said intermediate member engaging said outer shoe members, and means on said intermediate member and on said outer shoe members for retaining said shoe members in said expanded position whereby said power means may be removed therefrom.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said retaining means comprising a first pair of spaced-apart roll bars on said intermediate member, said outer shoe members extending toward said middle member and having said distal ends engaging said intermediate member between said first roll bars in said collapsed position of said shoe members, and a second pair of roll bars respectively on said outer shoe members and spaced from said distal ends thereof, said first pair of roll bars respectively engaging said second pair of roll bars as said other element and intermediate member move outwardly thereby pivotally moving said outer shoe members toward said expanded position, said first and second pairs of roll bars and intermediate member cooperating to retain said shoe members in said expanded position.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said distal ends of said outer shoe members are closely spaced-apart in said expanded position whereby said outer surfaces nearly complete said circle, said intermediate member having a projection formed thereon intermediate said distal ends, said projection having an outer end substantially coincident with said circle in said expanded position.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each of said shoe members is arcuate, said outer shoe members being respectively shorter than the remaining shoe members.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said power means includes a pair of laterally separable, force-exerting elements, one of said elements removably engaging at least one of said members other than said outer members, and further comprising an intermediate member removably engaging the other of said elements, said intermediate member movably engaging said distal ends of said outer shoe members, said intermediate member having an outer arcuately curved surface defining a segment of said circle, said distal ends of said outer members being spaced-apart in said expanded position with said intermediate member positioned therebetween and with its said outer surface lying on said circle.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said intermediate member has a pair of oppositely extending ears thereon, the distal end of one of said outer members engaging said outer surface of said intermediate member and the distal end of the other said outer member engaging the outer surface of said one outer member in said collapsed position, said distal ends respectively engaging said ears in said expanded position.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein there are four of said members, said one element engaging the pivotal connection between said other members in said expanded position.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 wherein at least the one plug inserted in said other core end has an opening therein, said one plug being inserted in said other end of said core prior to removal of said members, said members being removed from said core through said opening.

Claim 24

The method of claim 19 wherein each of said members has one end removably connected to one end of the adjacent member by a removable hinge pin having a ring at one end thereof, said step of removing said members from said core comprising inserting a hook into said core through said one core plug opening, engaging said hook with said pin ring and thereby removing said pin from said members and core whereby said members are disconnected, and lastly removing the disconnected members through said one core plug opening.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are three of said shoe members, there being two outer members each having a distal end and an opposite end pivotally connected to an end of the middle one of said members, said outer two members being respectively shorter than said middle member.