Drum grooving apparatus and method

Claim 2

A drum grooving apparatus for producing a helical groove on the periphery of a metal drum, comprising a rotating means having a horizontal support means for rotating the drum about its own axis and means to drive said support means at a constant speed, a carriage means movable longitudinally of said support means and drum, a cutting torch means mounted on said carriage and having a cutting electrode having an arc end aligned with the side periphery of the drum and essentially in a horizontal plane through the center of the drum and operable to establish an electric arc to said drum to remove surface metal from the drum to form a groove therein, said cutting torch means including contact means releasably coupled to the drum to establishing an arc current path, a fluid jet means located to produce a fluid jet essentially only applied to the upper side of the arc to remove the metal without disruption of the arc, and means to actuate said carriage means in synchronism to said support means to move said carriage means at a constant speed and form said helical groove in said drum with an essentially finished surface.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drum is formed of steel having an outer covering of an anti-splatter protective material, said material reacting with said arc to prevent sticking of slag and metal spatter formed by the arc.

Claim 4

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 having means to adjust the speed of said support means, and said means to actuate said carriage means being a coupling between the carriage means and the support means drive to provide an interrelated movement of the cutting electrode relative to the rotation of the drum.

Claim 5

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrode is a carbon stick electrode of a diameter slightly less than the desired width of the groove, said electrode being mounted with the arc tip generally aligned with the periphery of the drum to establish the arc in a horizontal plane passing through the drum slightly below the rotating axis.

Claim 6

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 4 wherein said electrode is located generally tangentially of the drum.

Claim 7

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 4 wherein said electrode is located at an angle of substantially 30* from a vertical plane through said tip and periphery of the drum.

Claim 8

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrode has a tip aligned with the periphery of the drum lying in a horizontal plane passing through the drum and rotating axis, said electrode being located generally tangentially of the drum and at an angle of about 30* from a vertical plane through the end of the electrode and the periphery of the drum in said horizontal plane.

Claim 9

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 having a collecting means located beneath said drum, and cooling liquid means at the top of the collection means to cool the molten metal removed from the drum.

Claim 10

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 having a collection means located beneath said drum, and connected to said carriage means, cooling water spray nozzles at the top of the collection means to establish a curtain of cooling water on the surfaces to cool the molten metal removed from the drum.

Claim 11

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting torch means includes a carbon electrode and a motor means for adjusting the position of the electrode relative to the drum, an arc voltage sensing means connected to continuously monitor the arc and actuate the motor means to maintain a predetermined cutting arc, and means to mount said arc voltage sensing means on said carriage means for movement with said cutting torch means.

Claim 12

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 10 wherein said motor means is an alternating current reversible motor, said sensing means including a comparator having a pair of input means connected to compare a command voltage with the actual arc voltage and produce an error signal at an output means, and means connecting said motor to said output means and operable to connect the motor for forward or reverse drive to reposition said motor to maintain a selected arc voltage, and a variable voltage input means connected to said output means for selection of the speed of moving of said electrode.

Claim 13

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotating means includes a rotating shaft having chuck means for supporting the drum, contact means slidably coupled to said shaft for providing an arc current return path from the drum.

Claim 14

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotating means is a lathe-type structure having a head chuck adapted to releasably grip one enD of the drum, a motor driven gear reducer connected to drive the head chuck and including rapid speed change gears for setting of the carriage means to maintain a constant groove pitch in relation to the chuck and wherein said electrode is a carbon stick electrode, said torch means having an alternating current reversible motor coupled to position said electrode, a sensing means including a comparator having a pair of input means connected to compare a command voltage with the actual arc voltage and produce an error signal at an output means operable to connect the motor for forward or reverse drive to reposition said motor to maintain a selected arc voltage, a variable voltage input means mounted on said carriage means and connected to said output means for selection of the speed of moving of said electrode, an air jet means mounted immediately above the tip of the electrode and establishing an air jet along the top of the electrode impinging upon the top of the molten metal, a collection means secured to the carriage means beneath said drum and in alignment with said torch electrode to collect the removed metal, and a water spray nozzle means connected to the collection means and establishing a water spray across the top of the collection means for cooling the molten metal.

Claim 15

The drum grooving apparatus of claim 13 wherein said lathe-type structure has a lead screw coupled to said chuck and to said carriage means to move the cutting electrode axially of the drum at a selected speed to produce a selected groove pitch.

Claim 16

A hoist rope drum forming apparatus for producing an essentially finished helical rope groove in the face of a cylindrical metal drum for receiving a hoist rope, comprising a lathe apparatus having a rotating head chuck adapted to releasably clamp one end of the drum and rotating said drum with a horizontal axis, means to vary the rotating speed of the chuck, a carriage means coupled to be driven with the chuck and moving longitudinally of the head chuck at a constant speed, carbon arc torch assembly mounted on said carriage and including means to linearly and angularly adjust the location of the tip of a carbon electrode to accurately locate the electrode adjacent the drum with the electrode tip essentially in the horizontal plane through the axis of the drum, and generally tangential of the drum, said torch assembly having a motor coupled to feed the electrode toward and from the drum to maintain a selected arc, said torch assembly having a fluid jet means for creating a fluid stream over the top of the arc for forcing of the molten metal from the drum, and a control means mounted on said carriage means and having an electrode feed rate control and an arc sensing control connected to actuate a motor control means connected to motor means, said control means further having means connected to an arc power supply and to a fluid source and operable to selectively supply power to the electrode and fluid to the jet means.

Claim 17

A hoist rope drum forming apparatus for producing an essentially finished helical rope groove in the face of a cylindrical metal drum for receiving a hoist rope, comprising a lathe apparatus having a rotating head chuck adapted to releasably clamp one end of the drum and rotating said drum with a horizontal axis, means to vary the rotating speed of the chuck, a carriage means coupled to be driven with the chuck and moving longitudinally of the head chuck at a constant speed, carbon arc torch assembly mounted on said carriage and including means to linearly and angularly adjust the location of the tip of a carbon electrode to accurately locate the electrode adjacent the drum with the electrode tip essentially in the horizontal plane through the axis of the drum, and generally tangential of the drum, said torch assembly having a motor coupled to feed the electrode toward and from the drum to maintain a selected arc, said torch assembly having a fluid jet means for creating a fluid stream over the top of the arc for forcing of the molten metal from the drum, and a control means mounted on said carriage means and having an electrode feed rate control and an arc sensing control connected to actuate a motor control means connected to motor means, said control means further having means connected to an arc power supply and to a fluid source and operable to selectively supply power to the electrode and fluid to the jet means.

Claim 18

The drum forming apparatus of claim 15 having a collection tank means secured to the carriage means beneath the drum support in alignment with the electrode, and a water spray means secured to the tank means to cool the metal removed from the drum.

Claim 19

The hoist drum forming apparatus of claim 15 wherein said drum is formed of a tubular steel blank and is provided with an outer lead paint coating on the blank, said lead paint reacting with said arc.