Switching mechanism for cropping and sampling front and back ends of bar product delivered from mill

Claim 2

Means for cropping the leading and tail ends of moving rod emerging from a rolling mill, said means comprising a rotary ''''up'''' shear, a rotary ''''down'''' shear, a separator adjacent said shears and above the rod pass line, a deflector below said separator for directing rod to a crop box therebelow, a rod switch for first delivering oncoming rod through said ''''up'''' shear and below said separator to engage said deflector, whereby upon actuation of said ''''up'''' shear at an appropriate time, the leading end will be cropped and will continue on directly to said crop box and the newly cut end of the rod will pass over said separator enroute to a collecting statiOn, and whereby upon shifting said rod switch to deliver said oncoming rod to a position in which it passes through said ''''down'''' shear while the rod still passes over said separator and upon actuation of said ''''down'''' shear at an appropriate time, the tail end of the rod will be cropped and the leading end of the tail end crop will pass below said separator to engage said deflector and go to said crop box.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 and a two-entrance rotary switch beyond said separator for receiving in its upper entrance rod delivered thereto following actuation of said ''''up'''' shear, said separator being temporarily removable, and said deflector being movable to non-intercepting position, whereby with said separator removed and said deflector in non-intercepting position, said rotary switch may be rotated to lower the level of rod passing therethrough to a position below said normal separator position, and whereby upon return of said separator to normal operative position, said rod may be divided by actuation of said ''''up'''' shear and the newly cut leading end of the following rod will pass over said separator to be received in the empty upper entrance of said rotary switch.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 1, said shears being mounted on a common actuating shaft.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 2, said separator being located within an open ended housing, and means for moving said separator in a transverse direction out of said housing.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 1 and a chute running from a position below said deflector diagonally downward to said crop box.

Claim 7

In a rod mill, in combination a rod switch, a pair of side by side rotary shears for selectively cutting rod delivered from said switch, a separator adjacent said shears and above the rod pass line, a deflector below said separator for directing rod to a crop box, a two-entrance rotary switch immediately beyond said separator for receiving and directing rod to a collecting station, means associated with one of said shears for causing the new end of rod when cut by said one shear to pass above said separator and into the upper entrance of said rotary switch, means associated with the other of said shears for directing the new end of rod when cut by said other shear to pass below said separator to engage said deflector, means for positioning said rotary switch so that there will be an empty entrance available to receive the leading end of rod cut by said one shear and passing over said separator, and means for removing said separator and deflector and for rotating said rotary switch to shift the rod position from above said separator to below said separator prior to subsequent actuation of said one shear.

Claim 8

In a rod mill, in combination a rod switch, a pair of side by side rotary shears for selectively cutting rod delivered from said switch, a separator adjacent said shears and above the rod pass line, a deflector below said separator for directing rod to a crop box, a two-entrance rotary switch immediately beyond said separator for receiving and directing rod to a collecting station, means associated with one of said shears for causing the new end of rod when cut by said one shear to pass above said separator and into the upper entrance of said rotary switch, means associated with the other of said shears for directing the new end of rod when cut by said other shear to pass below said separator to engage said deflector, means for positioning said rotary switch so that there will be an empty entrance available to receive the leading end of rod cut by said one shear and passing over said separator, and means for removing said separator and deflector and for rotating said rotary switch to shift the rod position from above said separator to below said separator prior to subsequent actuation of said one shear.

Claim 9

In a rod rolling mill, means for cropping and/or dividing the rolled rod at a position between the last stand and the rod collecting station, said means comprising two adjacent rotatable shears, means for supporting said moving rod at a constant vertical position as it approaches said shears, switching means for shifting the path of said rod horizontally from one shear to the other, a horizontal separator closely adjacent the cutting positions of said shears and above said constant vertical position, a deflector below said separator and movable from an up position crossing the said vertical position to a down position spaced from the underside of said separator, a two-entrance rotary switch adjacent said separator to receive in its upper entrance rod passing over said separator, one of said shears arranged when cutting said rod to direct the new cut end above said separator, the other of said shears arranged when cutting said rod to direct the new cut end below said separator and against said deflector when the latter is in up position, and a crop box to receive rod directed thereto by said deflector.

Claim 10

In a rod rolling mill, means for cropping and/or dividing the rolled rod at a position between the last stand and the rod collecting station, said means comprising two adjacent rotatable shears, means for supporting said moving rod at a constant vertical position as it approaches said shears, switching means for shifting the path of said rod horizontally from one shear to the other, a horizontal separator closely adjacent the cutting positions of said shears and above said constant vertical position, a deflector below said separator and movable from an up position crossing the said vertical position to a down position spaced from the underside of said separator, a two-entrance rotary switch adjacent said separator to receive in its upper entrance rod passing over said separator, one of said shears arranged when cutting said rod to direct the new cut end above said separator, the other of said shears arranged when cutting said rod to direct the new cut end below said separator and against said deflector when the latter is in up position, and a crop box to receive rod directed thereto by said deflector.

Claim 11

In combination in a rod mill, a rod switch for shifting transversely the line of travel of moving rod without shifting the vertical pOsition of the rod pass line so that said rod can be delivered selectively to either of a pair of side by side rotatable shears in which the arrangement of the cutting blades of one shear is substantially the reverse of the cutting blades of the other, a removable horizontal separator adjacent said shears and above the normal pass line of said rod, a deflector below said separator and movable from up to down position whereby when said deflector is in up position, it will intercept the leading end of a rod passing below said separator plate to direct said rod to a crop box, a two-entrance rotary switch for receiving rod delivered thereto along the upper side of said separator and for shifting the line of travel of said rod to a lower level below said separator position when said separator has been removed and said deflector has been moved to non-intercepting position whereby after said rod has been lowered by rotation of said rotary switch and said separator has been replaced, said rod may be divided by one of said shears and the new leading cut end of said rod will be directed along the top side of said separator and into the now empty entrance of said rotary switch.

Claim 12

In combination in a rod mill, a rod switch for shifting transversely the line of travel of moving rod without shifting the vertical pOsition of the rod pass line so that said rod can be delivered selectively to either of a pair of side by side rotatable shears in which the arrangement of the cutting blades of one shear is substantially the reverse of the cutting blades of the other, a removable horizontal separator adjacent said shears and above the normal pass line of said rod, a deflector below said separator and movable from up to down position whereby when said deflector is in up position, it will intercept the leading end of a rod passing below said separator plate to direct said rod to a crop box, a two-entrance rotary switch for receiving rod delivered thereto along the upper side of said separator and for shifting the line of travel of said rod to a lower level below said separator position when said separator has been removed and said deflector has been moved to non-intercepting position whereby after said rod has been lowered by rotation of said rotary switch and said separator has been replaced, said rod may be divided by one of said shears and the new leading cut end of said rod will be directed along the top side of said separator and into the now empty entrance of said rotary switch.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 8, said other shear operable when the rod is passing through said other shear and over said separator into the upper entrance of said rotary switch, whereby upon operation of said other shear the new leading cut end will be directed below said separator to engage said deflector and thence go to said crop box.

Claim 14

Rod cropping and dividing means for use in a rod rolling mill at a position between the last stand and the rod collecting station, said means comprising means for shifting transversely the line of travel of said moving rod from a first position to a second position, a first rotatable shear aligned with said first position for cutting said rod, a second rotatable shear aligned with said second position for cutting said rod, a separator extending laterally at least the width of said first and second positions and located immediately beyond said shears and above the normal pass line of said rod, the shear blades on said first shear when actuated to cut said rod passing therebetween so constructed that the new leading end of the cut rod will be directed above said separator, the shear blades on said second shear when actuated to cut said rod passing therebetween so constructed that the new leading end of the cut rod will be directed below said separator, means for temporarily removing said separator from its operative position with respect to said rod, a rod deflector located below said separator and movable from an up position where it will intercept rod passing below said separator to a down position spaced from said separator and below the normal pass line of said rod, said deflector when in up position presenting a downward sloping undersurface to engage and direct the leading end of any rod traveling beneath said separator to a crop box, a two-position rotary switch beyond said separator and having upper and lower entrances and associated switch pipes, said upper entrance being above and said lower entrance being below said separator, means for directing the leading end of a rod traveling on the upper surface of said separator into said upper entrance, means for rotating said rotary switch after said separator has been temporarily removed and said deflector is in down position and said rod shifting means is in said first position to reverse the positions of said rotary switch entrances thereby to lower the said upper entrance and the rod therein to a level below said separator position and whereby upon replacement of said separator, said rod will be therebelow and aligned with said first shear and whereby upon the actuation of said first shear said rod will be divided and the new leading end will be delivered above said separator and into the now empty upper entrance of said rotary switch, and when said rod shifting means is in said second position and said rod is aLigned with said second shear and traveling above said separator and through the upper entrance of said rotary switch and said deflector is in up position, operation of said second shear will crop said rod and direct the leading end of said cropped portion below said separator and against said deflector and thence to said crop box.

Claim 15

Rod cropping and dividing means for use in a rod rolling mill at a position between the last stand and the rod collecting station, said means comprising means for shifting transversely the line of travel of said moving rod from a first position to a second position, a first rotatable shear aligned with said first position for cutting said rod, a second rotatable shear aligned with said second position for cutting said rod, a separator extending laterally at least the width of said first and second positions and located immediately beyond said shears and above the normal pass line of said rod, the shear blades on said first shear when actuated to cut said rod passing therebetween so constructed that the new leading end of the cut rod will be directed above said separator, the shear blades on said second shear when actuated to cut said rod passing therebetween so constructed that the new leading end of the cut rod will be directed below said separator, means for temporarily removing said separator from its operative position with respect to said rod, a rod deflector located below said separator and movable from an up position where it will intercept rod passing below said separator to a down position spaced from said separator and below the normal pass line of said rod, said deflector when in up position presenting a downward sloping undersurface to engage and direct the leading end of any rod traveling beneath said separator to a crop box, a two-position rotary switch beyond said separator and having upper and lower entrances and associated switch pipes, said upper entrance being above and said lower entrance being below said separator, means for directing the leading end of a rod traveling on the upper surface of said separator into said upper entrance, means for rotating said rotary switch after said separator has been temporarily removed and said deflector is in down position and said rod shifting means is in said first position to reverse the positions of said rotary switch entrances thereby to lower the said upper entrance and the rod therein to a level below said separator position and whereby upon replacement of said separator, said rod will be therebelow and aligned with said first shear and whereby upon the actuation of said first shear said rod will be divided and the new leading end will be delivered above said separator and into the now empty upper entrance of said rotary switch, and when said rod shifting means is in said second position and said rod is aLigned with said second shear and traveling above said separator and through the upper entrance of said rotary switch and said deflector is in up position, operation of said second shear will crop said rod and direct the leading end of said cropped portion below said separator and against said deflector and thence to said crop box.

Claim 16

Apparatus for subdividing a longitudinally moving product length comprising: shear means, including laterally adjacent pairs of cooperating rotatable shear blades, one pair of shear blades being operable to cut the moving product length while directing the leading end of the cut section upwardly, the other pair of shear blades being operable to cut the moving product length while directing the leading end of the cut section downwardly; switch means for directing the moving product length through said shear means, and switch means being adjustable laterally to position the moving product length in the operative range of one or the other of said pairs of shear blades; and receiving means for receiving the product passing through said shear means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for subdividing a longitudinally moving product length comprising: shear means, including laterally adjacent pairs of cooperating rotatable shear blades, one pair of shear blades being operable to cut the moving product length while directing the leading end of the cut section upwardly, the other pair of shear blades being operable to cut the moving product length while directing the leading end of the cut section downwardly; switch means for directing the moving product length through said shear means, and switch means being adjustable laterally to position the moving product length in the operative range of one or the other of said pairs of shear blades; and receiving means for receiving the product passing through said shear means.

Claim 18

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said receiving means includes a crop receptacle, and guide means for selectively directing the leading end of a product section downwardly into said crop receptacle.

Claim 19

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said receiving means includes a second switch means having rotatably adjustable vertically spaced inlets with separate delivery pipes in communication therewith at their upstream ends, and means for vertically adjusting the downstream ends of said delivery pipes to thereby selectively position the same in alignment with fixed conduits.

Claim 20

The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said guide means includes a housing divided by a separator into upper and lower passageways in alignment with the vertically spaced inlets of said second switch means, and a deflector cooperating with said separator to deflect product passing through said lower passageway downwardly into a crop receptable.