T. Sendzimir, Inc.

Zbigniew Rocki

John W Turley

Michael G Sendzimir

An improved shapemeter is provided to measure the flatness of metal strip under tension as the strip passes over a shapemeter roll, the shapemeter including a stationary shaft with a set of bearings that allow the strip to easily pass over the shapemeter roll. The stationary shaft does not touch the inner ring of each bearing, but the inner ring is urged against a block having horizontal and vertical flexural members that deflect giving only a single degree of freedom. This single degree of freedom allows each block to rotate about a pivot point, which is defined by the locations of the flexural members, in the transverse vertical plane only. The shaft has a slot, which provides an open area in which a single box that contains all the force transducers is mounted. Each force transducer (e.g., a load cell) is attached to a thrust button that contacts the corresponding block, and thereby absorbs some of the vertical load on the block. The horizontal component of the force on the block is entirely supported by the pivot flexural members. The vertical component of this force is partly supported by the pivot flexural members and partly by the corresponding force transducer (through the thrust button). In this manner, the range of force being detected by each force transducer is reduced, thereby allowing for greater low-end sensitivity and accuracy, and the variation in force sensed by the force transducer is minimized if the wrap angle of the strip varies.

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Meriden, CT, United States of America

Zbigniew Rocki