EP0570490A1

EP0570490A1 - Method and device for the continuous production of a wire by extrusion in a liquid.

Info

Publication number: EP0570490A1
Application number: EP92905899A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Denis Bijaoui; Jean Roche
Original assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA
Current assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA
Priority date: 1991-02-08
Filing date: 1992-01-28
Publication date: 1993-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2012-01-28
Also published as: RU2104820C1; JPH06505196A; ES2082455T3; EP0570490B1; DE69206786T2; BR9205591A; FR2672522A1; CA2099498A1; DE69206786D1; WO1992013660A1; US5392838A

Abstract

Procédé et dispositif (1) pour obtenir en continu un fil (12) par extrusion d'une matière fondue dans un liquide (9) de refroidissement plaqué par centrifugation contre la paroi interne (10) d'un tambour (11). La paroi interne (10) du tambour (11) comporte une surface latérale (102) qui se rapproche progressivement de l'axe de rotation du tambour (11) lorsqu'on se dirige vers l'extérieur (E) du tambour (11). On utilise des moyens (23, 24) permettant de déplacer le fil (12) le long de cette surface (102) de telle sorte que le fil (12) sorte du tambour (11) sous l'action de la force centrifuge. Fils (12) obtenus avec ce procédé et ce dispositif, ces fils étant par exemple des fils métalliques amorphes utilisés pour renforcer des enveloppes de pneumatiques.Method and device (1) for continuously obtaining a wire (12) by extrusion of a molten material in a cooling liquid (9) plated by centrifugation against the internal wall (10) of a drum (11). The internal wall (10) of the drum (11) has a lateral surface (102) which progressively approaches the axis of rotation of the drum (11) as it moves towards the outside (E) of the drum (11) . Means (23, 24) are used to move the wire (12) along this surface (102) so that the wire (12) comes out of the drum (11) under the action of centrifugal force. Threads (12) obtained with this method and this device, these threads being for example amorphous metallic threads used to reinforce tire casings.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUSLY OBTAINING A P.AR EXTRUSION WIRE WITHIN A LIQUID

The invention relates to methods and devices for obtaining threads by casting in a liquid. Such threads are for example metallic threads, in particular threads of amorphous alloys.

It is known practice to produce amorphous wires by projecting a jet of molten alloy into a coolant layer, for example a layer of water, pressed by centrifugal force against the internal wall of a rotary drum. Such methods are described for example in US patents 3,845,805, US 4,523,626, FR 2 636 552. The Japanese patent application published under the number 63-137550 describes such a method in which devices are used at the bottom of the drum, so as to separate a determined number of layers of wires. The wire is extracted when the drum is stopped, so that this process cannot be used continuously.

In order for a centrifugal casting process in a drum to be able to be used continuously, it is necessary to bring the wire out of the drum, as it is formed. Various methods have been described for this purpose. It has been proposed, for example, to use magnetic devices to press the wire against a coil placed outside the coolant, these devices possibly also using a lever with radial movement driven by the drum. Such methods are described, for example, in US patents 4,617,983, in the Japanese patent application published under the number 62-89526, in the international application published under the number WO 87/155. These devices are complex to implement and can lead to instabilities of the water film which are detrimental to the continuity of the wire. Water and wire drainage devices have been described for example in Japanese patent applications published under the numbers 60-61147, 60-76255, 60-166147, 61-253147. These devices are also complex to implement, and, moreover, they pose sealing problems which are difficult to solve.

The object of the invention is to propose a method and a device making it possible to extract continuously, in a simple manner, a wire produced by centrifugation in a drum, without any leakage problem appearing. The process according to the invention, for continuously obtaining a solid wire by extrusion of a molten material in a cooling liquid plated by centrifugation against the internal wall of a drum, is characterized by the following points:

a) using a drum capable of rotating about an axis; the inner wall of the drum in contact with the centrifuged liquid, has a lateral surface which progressively approaches the axis of rotation when one ^'towards the outside of the drum;

b) means are used to move the wire along this surface, so that the wire then moves away from this surface out of the drum under the action of centrifugal force.

The invention also relates to a device for continuously obtaining a solid wire by extrusion of a molten material in a coolant plated by centrifugation against the internal wall of a drum, the device being characterized by the following points:

a) it comprises a drum and means making it possible to rotate the drum around an axis; the internal wall of the drum, intended to come into contact with the centrifuged liquid, has a lateral surface which progressively approaches the axis of rotation when moving outward of the drum;

b) it comprises means making it possible to move the wire along this surface, these means being arranged so that the wire then moves away from this surface out of the drum, under the action of centrifugal force.

The invention also relates to the wires obtained with the method or the device previously described.

The invention also relates to articles reinforced with these wires, these articles being, for example, belts, hoses, tire casings.

The invention will be easily understood with the aid of the nonlimiting examples which follow, and all schematic figures relating to these examples.

On the drawing :

- Figure 1 shows a front view of a device according to the invention with a drum rotating about an axis, the view of Figure 1 being taken according to arrow F shown in Figure 2;

- Figure 2 shows in section the device shown in Figure 1, this section being referenced by the line segments II in Figure 1;

- Figures 3 and 4 each show in more detail a part of the drum of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, with a pusher, each of these figures corresponding to a position of this pusher, these figures being sections made according to passing planes by the axis of rotation of the drum; - Figure 5 shows, seen from the front, a part of this drum, this view being taken according to arrow F, shown in Figures 2 to 4;

FIG. 6 represents a part of the drum of another embodiment in accordance with the invention, according to a section made in a manner analogous to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Figures 1 and 2 show a device according to the invention for the production of amorphous metal son. This device 1 comprises a reservoir 2 constituted by a crucible around which is located the induction coil 3 which makes it possible to melt the amorphizable metallic alloy 4 based on iron placed in the reservoir 2. A gas under pressure 5, for example of argon, allows the liquid alloy 4 to flow through the nozzle 6 so as to obtain a jet 7, this gas 5 being inert with respect to the alloy 4. This jet 7 reaches the layer 8 coolant 9 pressed against the internal wall 10 of a drum 11, this liquid 9 being for example water. The jet 7 then solidifies very quickly to give the amorphous metallic wire 12. The drum 11 rotates around its axis in the direction of the arrow F, this axis being referenced xx ′ in FIG. 2 and x in FIG. 1, and the centrifugal force thus obtained applies the coolant 9 in the form of the layer 8 against the internal wall 10. FIG. 1 is a front view, from the outside of the drum, according to the arrow F in FIG. 2 and the FIG. 2 is a section made in two planes, one of which passes through the axis xx 'and the other is parallel to the axis xx', this section being referenced by the straight line segments II in FIG. 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 each show in more detail a part of the drum 11, with the means according to the invention for extracting the wire 12. Figures 3 and 4 are sections made in a plane passing through the axis xx ', figure 5 being a front view, from the outside of the drum, this view being taken according to arrow F in FIGS. 2 to 4.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the exterior of the drum 11 is represented by the letter E. The drum 11 comprises a substantially flat plate 13, perpendicular to the axis xx 'and to which is fixed a shaft 14 actuated by the motor 15 to drive the drum 11 in rotation about the axis xx '(Figure 2). The drum 11 comprises a plate 16, having the general shape of a cylinder of revolution of axis xx ', and a plate 17, substantially parallel to the plate 13, in the general shape of a crown of axis xx' defining an opening 18 disposed on the outside side E. The drum 11 further comprises an intermediate plate 19, disposed between the plates 13 and 17, this plate 19 perpendicular to the axis xx 'and substantially parallel to the plates 13 and 17 having substantially the shape a crown of axis xx '. In the sections of FIGS. 3 and 4, the ends 170 of the plate 17 and 190 of the plate 19 are the closest to the axis xx ', and practically both at the same distance from the axis xx'. During the rotation of the drum 11, the plates 13, 17, 19 define two zones 20, 21 where the liquid 9 is located, the zone 20 being limited by the plates 13, 16, 19 and the zone 21, directed towards the outside E, being limited by the plates 16, 17, 19. The wire 12 is formed in the zone 21. The plate 19 is pierced with openings 22 through each of which passes a pusher 23. Only one of these plungers is shown in Figures 3 and 4. This pusher 23 is constituted by a rod, comprising a rectilinear part 23A, practically parallel to the axis xx ', and two rectilinear ends 23B, 23 C parallel to each other and perpendicular to the part 23A, these parts 23B , 23C being practically arranged in a plane containing the axis xx '. The part 23B is arranged in the zone 20, and it is in contact with a cam 24. The part 23C is arranged in the zone 21. The arrangement of all the pushers 23 is similar to that which has just been described, these pushers being distributed regularly around the drum 11.

The internal wall 10 of the plate 16 is in contact with the liquid 9. In the area 20, this internal wall, referenced 100, has the shape of a cylinder of revolution of axis xx '. In zone 21, the internal wall 10 has a surface, referenced 101, in the vicinity of the plate 19, which has the shape of a cylinder of revolution of axis xx ', and it has a lateral surface 102, in the vicinity of the plate 17, which progressively approaches the axis xx 'when moving towards the opening 18, that is to say towards the outside E of the drum 11. This lateral surface 102 has for example the shape a cone with an axis xx ′, this cone widening in the direction of the plate 13. The liquid 9 is pressed against the surfaces 100, 101, 102, by centrifugal force, during the rotation of the drum 11.

In the sections of Figures 3 and 4, the surfaces 101, 102 are for example rectilinear and they form the angle between them (Figure 3).

The wire 12 is formed in the zone 21 by cooling the jet 7. The contact of the wire 12 with the wall 10 takes place on the surface 101 at point 25 (Figures 1 and 2). To facilitate heat exchange, the plates 13, 16, 17, 19 are for example made of metal.

The pushers 23 initially have an arrangement such that their part 23C, in the zone 21, is arranged in the vicinity of the plate 19. During the rotation of the drum 11, each pushbutton 23 driven in rotation with the drum 11 and guided by the cam 24 moves towards the surface 102 by sliding in an opening 22 of the plate 19 and in grooves 26, 27 made in the plate 16, respectively in the zones 20, 21. During this displacement parallel to the axis xx 'and shown diagrammatically by the arrow F in FIG. 3, the end 23C of the pusher 23 comes into contact with the wire 12, and pushes it onto the surface 101 to bring it into contact with the surface 102, then this end 23C pushes the wire 12 towards the opening 18, so that this wire follows the lateral surface 102. The wire 12 thus reaches the opening 18 and, under the action of centrifugal force, it leaves the drum 11 moving away from the lateral surface 102. The external surface 17A of the plate 17 has for example a conical shape in the vicinity of the end 170, while approaching the plate 13 when one approaches the axis xx '(FIGS. 3 and 4), so as to facilitate this exit. It is then possible to collect the wire 12, for example to wind it on a reel, the device 1 thus operating continuously. The means for winding the wire 12, out of the drum 11, are not shown in the drawing, for the purpose of simplification. The cam 24 then causes the pusher 23 to return to its initial position, the end 23C no longer being in contact with the wire 12, this movement being shown diagrammatically by the arrow F 'in FIG. 4. FIG. 3 represents a pusher 23 in its initial position when its end 23C is close to the plate 19, and FIG. 4 shows the same pusher in its final position, that is to say when the end 23C is furthest from the plate 19 and is in contact with or in the vicinity of the plate 17. The openings 22 and the grooves 26, 27 serve to guide the pushers 23 during their movements previously described, so that their rectilinear parts 23A remain practically parallel to the axis xx ', and that their rectilinear parts 23B, 23C remain practically radial, that is to say practically in a plane passing through the axis xx', for each plunger, the number of these planes being equal to the number of plungers 23, Figures 3 and 4 being carried out according to such a plan.

Each pusher 23 performs a complete cycle (starting from the initial position, and returning to the initial position) for a rotation of the drum 11, the cam 24 being arranged so that the action of the pushers 23 on the wire 12, to bring it out of the drum 11, takes place after point 25, in the direction of rotation of the drum. It is not necessary for the position of contact of the pushers with the wire 12 to be determined with great precision. It suffices simply that the wire 12 is ejected from the drum 11 before it has made a complete revolution in the drum. The device 1 can therefore operate without a point 25 detection device.

The role of zone 20 is simply to avoid using sealing devices for the openings 22 in which the pushers 23 slide, the liquid 9 passing without inconvenience from zone 20 to zone 21, or vice versa, through the openings 22. It is possible to dispense with the use of zone 20 by providing seals for these openings 22, so as to prevent the exit of the liquid 9 from zone 21 while allowing movement of the pushers 23 , but this solution is more complex than that which has been described.

The invention therefore allows, very simply, the continuous operation of the device 1, without there being any sealing problem, and without using magnetic devices or devices for detecting the position of the wire 12.

Example of realization

An amorphous alloy wire is produced in accordance with the invention with the device 1 using the following conditions:

- nature of alloy 4: amorphous alloy based on iron., of nickel, silicon and boron, the composition of the alloy being approximately the following (atomic%): Fe: 38; Ni: 40; If: 10; B: 12;

- weight of this alloy in the tank 2: 100 g;

- melting temperature of alloy 4: approximately 1050 ° C; this molten alloy is maintained at a temperature of 1100 ° C. in the tank 2;

- characteristics of the device 1: internal diameter of the drum 11 (diameter of the cylindrical part 101): 480 mm; thickness of water in contact with part 101: 14 mm; value of α: 150 °; number of pushers 23: 60; drum rotation speed: 350 rpm; water temperature 9: about 6 ° C; displacement of each pusher 23 along the axis xx 'in the direction of the arrow F 23: 35 mm.

Several hundred meters of wire 12 of diameter 120 μm are continuously manufactured without breaking the wire; this wire having a breaking strength of 2800 MPa and an elongation at break of about 2%.

In the device 1, the pushers 23 were arranged so that their rectilinear part 23A was disposed in contact with the liquid 9, both in the zones 20 and 21, the openings 22 also being in contact with this liquid.

FIG. 6 represents a part of the drum 11 of another device 30 according to the invention, this FIG. 6 being a section made in a similar manner to FIGS. 3 and 4. It can be seen in this FIG. 6 that the pusher 31 has a part rectilinear 31A parallel to the axis xx 'and two rectilinear parts 31B, 31C perpendicular to the part 31A and practically arranged in a radial plane. The part 31A slides in the opening 32 of the intermediate plate 19, according to the opposite arrows F, F ', parallel to xx'. The opening 32 is not in contact with the liquid 9, the parts 31B, in contact with the cam 24, and 31A thus moving without being in contact with the liquid 9. Only the part 31C, intended to push the wire 12 on the surface 102, is in contact with the liquid 9. There is therefore no sealing problem between the zones 20, 21.

On the other hand, the groove 26 becomes useless in the zone 20 and there is therefore only one groove 27, per pusher 31, in the zone 21, which simplifies the production. The area 20 can thus be devoid of liquid 9, if desired, to limit the weight, or it can comprise liquid 9 which then serves as a thermal flywheel. Zone 20 can even be deleted, the plate 19 constituting for example the plate 13.

The invention is not limited to the production of amorphous metallic wires. It applies to the production of non-amorphous metallic wires, for example microcrystalline wires, or to the production of non-metallic wires, for example wires made of mineral or organic materials.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Thus, for example, the wire can be brought, during its extrusion, into contact with the lateral surface which progressively approaches the axis of rotation, the internal wall of the drum having for example a generally conical shape, without part cylindrical. We can also use other means than the pushers described above to move the wires, and we can use several cams for each device, or other means than cams.

Claims

1. Process for continuously obtaining a solid wire by extrusion of a molten material in a coolant plated by centrifugation against the internal wall of a drum, characterized by the following points:

a) using a drum capable of rotating about an axis; the internal wall of the drum, in contact with the centrifuged liquid, has a lateral surface which progressively approaches the axis of rotation when moving towards the outside of the drum;

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for moving the wire comprise pushers.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the pushers are actuated by at least one cam.

4. Method according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the pushers slide in the openings of a plate.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that two zones in which the coolant is located are used in the drum, these zones being separated by a plate perpendicular to the axis of the drum, this plate being pierced with openings in which the pushers slide, one of these zones, directed towards the outside of the drum, being intended to receive the wire, the liquid being able to pass from one zone to another through the openings.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it consists in manufacturing a metal wire of amorphous alloy.

7. Device for continuously obtaining a solid wire by extrusion of a molten material in a coolant plated by centrifugation against the internal wall of a drum, the device being characterized by the following points:

a) it comprises a drum and means making it possible to rotate the drum around an axis; the internal wall of the drum, intended to come into contact with the centrifuged liquid, has a lateral surface which progressively approaches the axis of rotation when moving towards the outside of the drum;

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the means making it possible to move J. wire include pushers.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for moving the wire comprise at least one cam for actuating the pushers.

10. Device according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a plate pierced with openings in which the pushers slide.

11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the drum comprises a plate separating two zones where the coolant is located, this plate being perpendicular to the axis of the drum and being pierced with openings in which the pushers slide, one of these zones, directed towards the outside of the drum, being intended to receive the wire, the liquid being able to pass from one zone to the other through the openings.

12. Device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that it is intended to manufacture a metal wire of amorphous alloy.

13. Yarn obtained according to the process according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. Wire obtained with the device according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

15. Article reinforced with a wire according to any one of claims 13 or 14.

16. Article according to claim 15, characterized in that it is a tire casing.