Method and apparatus for conditioning sheet metal

Abstract

A metal processing apparatus, comprising a pay-off reel for supporting and uncoiling a coil of metal, a roller-leveler apparatus adapted to receive a strip of sheet metal from the pay-off reel for conditioning the strip of steel, a recoiler for re-coiling the coil of metal, and whereby the apparatus generates enough tension on the strip of metal to improve flatness and remove coil breaks from the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.

1 . A metal processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a pay-off reel for supporting a metal roll;    a roller-leveler adapted to receive a strip of sheet metal from the pay-off reel and to remove defects from the strip of sheet metal; and    a recoiler adapted to receive the strip of sheet metal and recoil the strip of sheet metal; and    wherein the apparatus generates enough tension on the strip of sheet metal to improve the flatness of the strip of sheet metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.    
   
   
       2 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus generates enough tension on the strip of sheet metal to remove coil breaks from the strip of sheet metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.  
   
   
       3 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein tension is generated on the strip of metal by pulling the strip of metal with the recoiler against the resistance of the roller-leveler and the pay-off reel.  
   
   
       4 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tension on the strip of metal is at least about 50,000 lbs.  
   
   
       5 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tension on the strip of metal is between about 50,000 lbs. to about 200,000 lbs.  
   
   
       6 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 at least one drag pad engaged with the strip of metal to provide resistance against the pull of the recoiler.    
   
   
       7 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a surface conditioning apparatus having at least one cleaning module adapted for engagement with a surface of the strip of metal in a manner to remove scale from the surface.    
   
   
       8 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 7 , the surface conditioning apparatus comprising: 
 a fixed frame;    a subframe supported within the fixed frame on a pair of tracks;    an translating mechanism coupled with the subframe to oscillate the subframe over a predetermined interval.    
   
   
       9 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 7 , the cleaning module comprising: 
 at least one brush that engages the surface of the strip of sheet metal in a manner to remove scale from the surface.    
   
   
       10 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , the recoiler comprising: 
 a base;    at least one pedestal attached to the base;    a mandrel that at one end rotates in at least one pedestal to recoil the strip of sheet metal about the mandrel and maintain tension on the strip;    a motor for rotating the mandrel.    
   
   
       11 . A metal processing apparatus for conditioning sheet metal, comprising: 
 a pay-off reel for supporting a metal coil;    a roller-leveler adapted to receive a strip of sheet metal;    a recoiler for re-coiling the strip of metal and generating enough tension to improve flatness of the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.    
   
   
       12 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the recoiler generates enough tension to remove coil breaks from the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.  
   
   
       13 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein tension is generated on the strip of metal by pulling the strip of metal with the recoiler against the resistance of the roller-leveler and the pay-off reel.  
   
   
       14 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the tension on the strip of metal is at least about 50,000 lbs.  
   
   
       15 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the tension on the strip of metal is between about 50,000 lbs. to about 200,000 lbs.  
   
   
       16 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 at least one drag pad engaged with the strip of metal to provide against the pull of the recoiler, thereby generating tension on the strip of metal.    
   
   
       17 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a surface conditioning apparatus having at least one cleaning module adapted for engagement with a surface of the strip of metal in a manner to remove scale from the surface.    
   
   
       18 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 17 , the surface conditioning apparatus comprising: 
 a fixed frame;    a subframe supported within the fixed frame on a pair of tracks;    an translating mechanism coupled with the subframe to oscillate the subframe over a predetermined interval.    
   
   
       19 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , the recoiler comprising: 
 a base;    at least one pedestal attached to the base;    a mandrel that at one end rotates in at least one pedestal to recoil the strip of sheet metal about the mandrel and maintain tension on the strip;    a motor for rotating the mandrel.    
   
   
       20 . A method of improving flatness of a coil of metal, comprising: 
 providing a pay-off reel for supporting the coil of metal;    providing a roller-leveler for removing defects from the coil of metal;    providing a recoiler;    uncoiling a strip of metal from the pay-off reel;    advancing the strip of metal through the roller-leveler;    re-coiling the strip of metal with the take-up reel; and    generating enough tension on the strip of metal to improve flatness of the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising, generating enough tension on the strip of metal to removes coil breaks from the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 pulling the strip of metal with the take-up reel against the resistance of the roller-leveler and the pay-off reel to generate the tension on the strip of metal.    
   
   
       23 . A metal processing apparatus for improving flatness of a coil of metal, comprising: 
 a means for uncoiling a coil of metal;    a roller-leveler adapted to receive a strip of metal from means for uncoiling a coil of metal;    a means for re-coiling the strip of metal and generating enough tension to improve flatness of the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.    
   
   
       24 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising a means for generating enough tension to remove coil breaks from the strip of metal as it advances through the roller-leveler.  
   
   
       25 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 23 , the means for recoiling comprising: 
 a tube;    a clamp assembly attached to the tube;    at least one shoe assembly pivotally attached to the tube;    a plurality of cylinders attached to the tube and operatively connected to at least one shoe assembly for pivoting the shoe assembly between a contracted position and an expanded position and operatively connected to the clamp assembly for securing a leading edge of the strip of metal.    
   
   
       26 . The metal processing apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the tension on the strip of metal is between about 50,000 lbs. to about 200,000 lbs.