Non-Contact Spray Lubricator

Abstract

A non-contact spray lubrication device is provided that applies a thin layer of lubrication to a sheet of metal emanating from a coil. The amount of lubrication is important for metal forming and thus the speed of which the coil is being placed near nozzles of the non-contact spray lubricator is monitored by a plurality of proximity sensors that dictate the amount of spray being dispensed out of a nozzle and/or the speed of the coil.

1 . An apparatus for applying a lubricant to a metallic material received from an uncoiling mechanism, comprising: 
 a reservoir for holding the lubricant;    an air supply;    an injector in communication with said reservoir and said air supply;    a nozzle interconnected to said injector;    a control unit in operable communication with a valve that controls the flow of lubricant from said reservoir to said nozzle;    a first proximity switch comprised of a first transmitter and a first receiver, said first proximity switch interconnected to said control unit;    a second proximity switch comprised of a second transmitter and a second receiver, said second proximity switch interconnected to said control unit;    a third proximity switch comprised of a third transmitter and a third receiver, said third proximity switch interconnected to said control unit; and    wherein the coil travels from the uncoiling mechanism to said apparatus for applying lubrication, such that the receipt of a signal by at least one of said first receiver, said second receiver and said third receiver from at least one of said first transmitter, said second transmitter and said third transmitter, respectively, represents the position of the coil that allows said controller to dictate at least one of the speed in which the coil is positioned approximate to said nozzle and the flow rate of the lubricant, wherein the thickness of the lubricant applied to the metallic material is selectively altered.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle is positioned above the coil and further comprising a second nozzle positioned beneath the metallic material.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein air from said air supply is selectively directed to said injector with a valve.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is selectively directed to said injector with a valve.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an un-coiler that is adapted to receive the coil, the un-coiler being spaced from a lubricator device, which includes said nozzle, wherein said first transmitter, said second transmitter and said third transmitter are associated with said un-coiler and said first receiver, said second receiver, and said third receiver are associated with said lubricator device to regulate the speed by which the metallic material travels from the un-coiler.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for applying a lubricant to a metallic material which is positioned on an uncoiling mechanism, comprising: 
 a non-contact spray lubrication device that includes a lubricant reservoir, an air supply, a means for injecting associated with said lubricant reservoir and air supply, a means for dispersing associated with said means for injecting and a means for controlling the flow of lubricant from said lubricant reservoir to said means for dispersing;    an un-coiler device that dispenses the metallic material at a predetermined distance from said non-contact spray lubrication device, wherein the metallic material dispersed from the coil is adapted to be positioned proximate to said non-contact spray lubrication device;    at least one transmitter associated with at least one of said non-contact spray lubrication device and said un-coiler device; and    at least one receiver associated with at least one of said non-contact spray lubrication device and said un-coiler device, wherein the thickness of the lubricant applied to the metallic material can be selectively regulated.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said means for injecting mixes air from said air supply and the lubricant from said lubrication reservoir and directs said mixture to said means for dispersing.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said means for dispersing is at least one of a nozzle, a spout, a discharge pipe, and a discharge aperture.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said at least one transmitter is comprised of a first transmitter, a second transmitter and a third transmitter and said at least one receiver is a first receiver, a second receiver, and a third receiver; and 
 wherein when the metallic material travels from the uncoiling mechanism to said non-contact spray lubrication device, such that the receipt of a signal by at least one of said first receiver, said second receiver and said third receiver from at least one of said first transmitter, said second transmitter and said third transmitter, respectively, represents the position of the metallic material between said non-contact spray lubrication device and said uncoiler device that allows said means for controlling to dictate at least one of the speed in which the metallic material is positioned approximate to said means for dispersing and the flow rate of the lubricant is selectively altered.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said means for dispersing is positioned above the metallic material and further comprising a second means for dispersing positioned beneath the metallic material.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein air from said air supply is selectively directed to said means for injecting with a valve.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the lubricant is selectively directed to said means for injecting with a valve.  
   
   
       13 . A method of continuously applying a film of lubricant to a surface of metallic material stored on a coil, comprising: 
 providing an uncoiling mechanism for rotatably unwinding a coil of rolled metal material to be formed;    providing a lubricating mechanism with a nozzle for depositing lubricant at a predetermined flow rate on said metallic material;    providing a first proximity switch comprised of a transmitter and a receiver, said first proximity switch positioned a first distance from the ground;    providing a second proximity switch comprised of a transmitter and a receiver, said second proximity switch positioned a second distance from the ground;    providing a third proximity switch comprised of a transmitter and a receiver, said third proximity switch positioned a third distance from the ground;    providing a control unit in communication with said first proximity switch, said second proximity switch and said third proximity switch;    feeding said metallic material from said uncoiling mechanism to said lubricating mechanism in an arcuate path having a first radius of curvature wherein the lowest portion of the coil is located between said second distance and said third distance thereby defining a high speed coil feed condition wherein said coil is positioned under said nozzle at a predetermined speed and said nozzle deposits lubricant at a predetermined flow rate;    increasing with said control unit said flow rate if said first radius of curvature is increased such that said lowest portion of the coil is located between said first distance and said second distance thereby defining a tight roll condition;    at least reducing or terminating said flow rate with said control unit if said first radius of curvature is reduced such that said lowest portion of the coil is located between said third distance and the ground thereby defining a low speed condition.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a second nozzle positioned beneath the metallic material that deposits the lubricant at a predetermined flow rate.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said nozzle is interconnected to an injector that receives air from an air supply and lubricant from a lubricant supply.