Power roll mill guarding device

Abstract

A guard is disclosed for guarding the nip between a pair of rolls in a power roll mill to prevent the mill operator's fingers from being crushed between the rolls. The guard comprises an upstanding plate pivotally mounted transversely between the opposite side frame members of the rolling mill in front of the pair of rolls being guarded. The top of the guard is flat and is located adjacent and below the normal path for the infeed of a sheet of material being formed between the rolls in order that an operator's fingers which support the underside of the sheet will engage the guard and be prevented from entering the roll nip. The guard plate is depressibly supported at its opposite ends by a pair of upright tubular rocker arms which are pivoted at their base and are biased to a central neutral position. At least one microswitch is provided adjacent one of the rocker arms which is in electric circuit with an electric motor which drives the power rolls to turn the motor on and off. An actuator for the switch projects into contact with the rocker arm and is actuated by pivotal movement of the rocker arm to either side of its neutral position in order to open the microswitch and thus to stop the electric motor.