EP3043931B1 - Cassette for a rolling mill and rolling mill equipped with such a cassette - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a roll for a rolling mill, and a mill equipped with such a cassette.

The field of the invention is that of Sexto cage mills supported laterally, and in particular the rolling mills known under the name " Z High ".

These mills find their application online, for example, in stripping annealing lines or, offline, as reversible mills, for metal strip.

A Quarto cage mill comprises a holding cage in which are provided four cylinders with parallel axes, namely respectively two working rolls, lower and upper, defining the gap of passage of the strip to be rolled, as well as two rolls of d support, upper and lower, respectively bearing on the working cylinders on the opposite side to that of the air gap passage.

A Sexto mill comprises two additional cylinders with respect to a Quarto, namely two intermediate cylinders interposed respectively between each working roll and the corresponding support roll.

In such rolling mills, each support cylinder and each intermediate cylinder, are rotatably mounted at their ends on chocks, by means of bearings, for example bearings or hydrostatic bearings. These chocks are supports that can be moved in a direction parallel to the clamping plane, between the amounts of the cage.

Conventionally, balancing cylinders allow the displacement of the chocks of the intermediate rolls. These balancing cylinders allow to change the relative position of the chocks and their cylinder, allowing among other things, to open the cage to facilitate the engagement of the product to be rolled, or to move these elements to facilitate disassembly of the cylinders. These balancing cylinders can also help to arch the intermediate cylinders.

An advantage of a Sexto cage mill is the ability to use smaller diameter work rolls compared to a Quarto cage, resulting in a greater reduction in the thickness of the product to be rolled. the same rolling force.

A Sexto mill also offers the possibility of axially shifting the two intermediate cylinders, and for the purpose of applying the rolling force only over the width of the strip to be rolled, and not over the entire length of the working rolls.

In a Sexto mill called " laterally supported ", often, the working rolls are not mounted on chocks, but instead provided floating. It is then necessary to maintain their axial position, by means of axial abutments, but also to maintain their lateral position by means of lateral support members, such as rollers or lateral support cylinders.

We thus know of the document US 4,531,394 a Sexto type rolling mill design supported laterally. Such a mill comprises a holding cage comprising two pairs of amounts spaced apart at both ends of the cage, at least two amounts of the same pair defining an access window. Such a mill comprises two working rolls, two support rolls and two intermediate rolls interposed respectively between one of the work rolls and the corresponding support roll.

In this mill, the support cylinders and the intermediate cylinders are rotatably mounted at their ends on chocks, while the working rolls are provided floating. Each working roll is supported laterally, on each side of the work roll, by a lateral support roll, itself bearing on two sets of rollers arranged along the length of the roll.

In this rolling mill design, for each work roll, the two corresponding lateral support rollers are integral with the two chocks of said intermediate roll. Each lateral support cylinder, as well as its support rollers are mounted on a support arm which extends between the two chocks of the intermediate cylinder, each arm being pivotally mounted around a rotation shaft whose ends are threaded into bores of the chocks and fixed to them.

The intermediate cylinder assembly, chocks of the intermediate cylinder, support arm (right and left), forms a self-supporting assembly, commonly called "cassette" or " insert " which can be introduced into the cage, or removed from the cage through the access window, during maintenance, by sliding the assembly according to the direction of the cylinders.

In such a mill, four force distribution beams extend respectively between the amounts of the cage, respectively at the support arms of the upper cassette and the lower cassette. Each force distribution beam supports a beam, said preload, movable in translation relative to the corresponding force distribution beam, movable towards the interior of the cage in a substantially horizontal direction. Thrust cylinders make it possible to constrain the movable beam in contact with the pivoting support arm in order to precharge the lateral support cylinder on the working cylinder.

We still know the document US 6,041,636 an alternative design of a sexto type mill supported laterally, "insert" or "cassette ". As in the previous document, the intermediate cylinder assembly, chocks of the intermediate cylinder, support arm, (right and left), rollers and lateral bearing cylinders, right and left, form a self-supporting assembly that can be introduced into the cage or removed through the access window of the cage during maintenance, by sliding the assembly in the direction of the cylinders.

In this document US.6,041,636 the chocks of the intermediate rolls are mounted on bending blocks. The cylinders of the bending blocks allow, during operation, to bring the intermediate cylinders together, in a working position illustrated in FIG. figure 5 of this document, or to move the intermediate cylinders to a position, illustrated in FIG. figure 4 , allowing the inserts to be removed by sliding.

In this document, it is known to supply the bearings of the rollers of the support arms of the insert with lubricant from a source of lubricant. Connecting / disconnecting devices allow, in the working position of the cylinders, to connect the lubricant source to lubrication bores provided in the chocks, and to automatically disconnect the bores when the intermediate cylinders and their chocks are spaced vertically by the bending blocks.

No additional operation to connect / disconnect the lubricant source is required during maintenance, especially when the inserts are to be removed or inserted into the cage. For this purpose, each connecting device comprises a hollow element 57, designated "plunger ", intended to conduct the lubricant, and which, in the working position of the intermediate cylinders, as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 9 comparatively tightly joins the bore of the chock via a seal. This element is movable, vertically in translation, forced towards its sealing position by means of a spring, marked 58. In the connection position, the lubricant flows from the lubricant source through the element. mobile and up to the bore of the chock. The lubricant then flows from the bore of the chock, and to the bearings of the support rollers mounted on the support arm via the shaft 17, which is hollow, and on which the support arm is pivoted.

When the intermediate rolls are spread to their retracted position by the bending blocks, the stroke of the movable element is limited to less than the displacement stroke of the bending blocks, thereby ensuring an inter-space between the bending blocks. movable element and the chock, as shown in Figure 8. It is then possible to remove the insert without friction between the chocks and the movable member.

In the insert (or cassette) of the document US 4,531,394 or the document US 6,041,636 the ends of the identified shafts 17 of the support arms are inserted into bores made in the mass of the body of each chock. These bores also serve as conduits for the lubricant feeding these hollow trees. In addition, the ends of the intermediate cylinder are rotatably mounted on the chocks via bearings received in other bores of the chocks.

When mounting the cassette, these ends of the shafts of the support arms and the intermediate cylinder must be introduced simultaneously into the corresponding bores of the chocks. Similarly, and according to the findings of the inventor, disassembly of the cassette requires to separate the two chocks by a distance greater than their nominal mounting gap, forcing out simultaneously the intermediate cylinder and the two support arms.

In practice, these operations are delicate and require specific tools including a stand to return the lower cassette. Due to the simultaneous output of the support arms and the intermediate cylinder during disassembly operations, another specific stand is used to support the support arms, the intermediate cylinder and the chocks during these disassembly / assembly operations.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a cassette for sexto mill laterally supported, disassembly and simplified assembly, requiring no complex stand for these maintenance operations.

Another object of the present invention is, at least according to one embodiment, to provide a cassette whose lubrication circuit is increased sealing compared to the circuits of the state of the art using the hollow rotation shaft of the support arm as fluid conduit.

Other goals and advantages will appear later in the description which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

• un cylindre destiné à constituer l'un des deux cylindres intermédiaires dudit laminoir,
• deux empoises sur lesquelles sont montées les extrémités dudit cylindre,
• au moins un bras support dudit au moins organe d'appui latéral, apte à supporter latéralement l'un des cylindres de travail du laminoir, ledit bras support s'étendant entre les deux empoises et étant monté pivotant par rapport auxdites empoises.

Also the invention relates first of all to a cassette intended to equip a rolling mill, said rolling mill comprising a holding cage comprising two pairs of amounts spaced apart at both ends of the cage, at least two studs of the same pair defining a access window allowing said cassette to be withdrawn or inserted into said holding cage, said rolling mill comprising two working rolls, lower and upper, two intermediate rolls, lower and upper, and two supporting rolls, lower and upper , and at least one lateral support member for each working roll,
and wherein said cassette forms a self-supporting assembly comprising:

• a cylinder intended to constitute one of the two intermediate rolls of said rolling mill,
• two chocks on which are mounted the ends of said cylinder,
• at least one support arm of said at least lateral support member, able to support laterally one of the working rolls of the rolling mill, said support arm extending between the two chocks and being pivotally mounted relative to said chocks.

According to the invention, said cassette comprises at least one pair of support elements receiving the ends of a rotation shaft of said at least one support arm and in that the two support elements are removably attached to the two chocks, respectively. and in such a way as to allow the disassembly of said at least one support arm of the chocks and / or the mounting of said at least one support arm on said chocks, without modifying the spacing between said chocks, and independently of disassembly / mounting of said cylinder.

• chaque empoise présente, vue de dessus, une forme en U, avec une partie médiane recevant l'une des extrémités dudit cylindre, et deux parties latérales pour le support de deux bras support ;
• l'une au moins des parties latérales de l'empoise est de dimension inférieure à ladite partie médiane, de telle façon à créer avec la partie médiane un logement pour la réception et la fixation dudit élément support ;
• lesdits éléments supports sont fixés de manière amovible sur les empoises au moyen de vis;
• ledit élément support et ladite empoise présentent un détrompeur mécanique afin d'assurer le bon positionnement dudit élément support sur ladite empoise ;
• le détrompeur mécanique comprend un couple pion /trou complémentaires, le couple pion/trou appartenant respectivement à ladite empoise et audit élément support , ou inversement, le pion et le trou étant mutuellement engageant afin d'assurer le bon positionnement dudit élément support sur ladite empoise ;
• chaque élément support est déplaçable sur l'arbre de rotation, axialement, selon une course limitée ;
• ledit arbre de rotation est monté fixe par rapport aux empoises et dans laquelle ledit bras support est monté pivotant par rapport audit arbre de rotation, ou alternativement,
• ledit arbre de rotation est monté pivotant par rapport aux empoises et le bras support est monté fixe par rapport audit arbre de rotation ;
• la cassette comprend deux bras supports, supportant chacun un organe d'appui latéral et dans lequel chacun des bras support est fixé de manière amovible aux empoises par l'intermédiaire d'une paire d'éléments supports ;
• la cassette présente des moyens ressorts et des butées contraignant ledit au moins un bras support, ou encore les deux bras support en position écartée vers l'extérieur ;
• au moins un des éléments support présente une conduite interne destinée pour acheminer un lubrifiant à des organes embarqués du bras support, ou à l'autre élément support, et qui prolonge une conduite interne du corps de l'une des empoises ;

According to features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

• each chock has, seen from above, a U-shape, with a median part receiving one of the ends of said cylinder, and two lateral parts for the support of two support arms;
• at least one of the side portions of the chock is of smaller dimension than said middle portion, so as to create with the median portion a housing for receiving and fixing said support member;
• said support members are releasably secured to the chocks by means of screws;
• said support member and said chock have a mechanical keying to ensure the proper positioning of said support member on said chock;
• the mechanical keying device comprises a complementary pin / hole pair, the pin / hole pair belonging respectively to said chock and to said support member, or conversely, the pin and the hole being mutually engaging in order to ensure the correct positioning of said support member on said chock ;
• each support member is movable on the rotation shaft, axially, in a limited stroke;
• said rotation shaft is fixedly mounted relative to the chocks and wherein said support arm is pivotally mounted with respect to said rotation shaft, or alternatively,
• said rotation shaft is pivotally mounted relative to the chocks and the support arm is fixedly mounted relative to said rotation shaft;
• the cassette comprises two support arms, each supporting a lateral support member and wherein each of the support arms is removably secured to the chocks via a pair of support members;
• the cassette has spring means and stops constraining said at least one support arm, or the two support arms in the outwardly spaced position;
• at least one of the support elements has an internal pipe intended to convey a lubricant to onboard members of the support arm, or to the other support element, and which extends an internal pipe of the body of one of the chocks;

The invention also relates to a rolling mill comprising two working rolls, upper and lower, two intermediate rolls, upper and lower, and two support rolls, upper and lower, and at least one lateral support member for each roll. of work, said rolling mill comprising a holding cage comprising two pairs of studs spaced apart at both ends of the cage, at least two studs of the same pair defining an access window for removal or insertion into said holding cage of a cassette according to the invention, upper, comprising said upper intermediate cylinder, and said at least lateral support member of said upper working cylinder, and allowing the removal or introduction of a lower cassette according to the invention comprising said intermediate cylinder, lower, and said at least lateral support member of said lower working cylinder.

• La figure 1 est vue partielle de la partie supérieure d'un laminoir, et illustrant plus particulièrement le cylindre de travail CT, supérieur, le cylindre intermédiaire supérieur et le cylindre d'appui supérieur, ainsi que des organes d'appui latéraux pour le cylindre de travail, de part et d'autre du plan de serrage.
• La figure 2 est une vue d'une cassette « hybride » présentant, coté gauche, une liaison mécanique du bras support aux empoises tel que connu de l'état de la technique et, côté droit, la liaison mécanique du bras support aux empoises conformément à l'invention.
• La figure 3 est une vue de la cassette telle qu'illustrée à la figure 2, illustrant le démontage du bras support (côté droit) des empoises, selon l'invention, sans écarter les empoises et sans retirer le cylindre, ce démontage n'étant pas possible pour le bras support côté gauche,
• La figure 4 est une vue de coupe selon un plan perpendiculaire au cylindre d'une cassette conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 5 est une vue en transparence partielle de la cassette telle qu'illustrée à la figure 4.
• La figure 6 est une vue selon une coupe, sensiblement verticale, passant par l'axe du bras support,
• La figure 7 est une vue en perspective de la cassette supérieure, conforme à l'invention, en position dans la cage de maintien du laminoir.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by the appended drawings among which:

• The figure 1 is a partial view of the upper part of a rolling mill, and more particularly illustrating the work roll CT, upper, the upper intermediate roll and the upper support roll, as well as lateral support members for the work roll, on both sides of the clamping plane.
• The figure 2 is a view of a "hybrid" cassette having, on the left side, a mechanical connection of the support arm to the chocks as known from the state of the art and, on the right side, the mechanical connection of the support arm to the chocks in accordance with the invention.
• The figure 3 is a view of the cassette as shown in figure 2 , illustrating the disassembly of the support arm (right side) of the chocks, according to the invention, without spreading the chocks and without removing the cylinder, this disassembly not being possible for the left-side support arm,
• The figure 4 is a sectional view along a plane perpendicular to the cylinder of a cassette according to the invention.
• The figure 5 is a partial transparency view of the cassette as shown in FIG. figure 4 .
• The figure 6 is a view in a section, substantially vertical, passing through the axis of the support arm,
• The figure 7 is a perspective view of the upper cassette, according to the invention, in position in the holding cage of the rolling mill.

Also the invention relates first of all to a cassette 1 intended to equip a Sexto type mill supported laterally.

• une cage de maintien comprend deux paires de montants 12 écartées entre elles aux deux extrémités de la cage, au moins deux montants d'une même paire définissant une fenêtre d'accès permettant le retrait ou l'introduction de ladite cassette dans ladite cage de maintien,
• deux cylindres de travail CT, inférieur et supérieur, deux cylindres intermédiaires CI, inférieur et supérieur, et deux cylindres d'appui CA, ainsi qu'au moins un organe d'appui latéral CP1, CP2 pour chaque cylindre de travail CT.

Such a rolling mill presents:

• a holding cage comprises two pairs of uprights 12 spaced apart from each other at the two ends of the cage, at least two uprights of the same pair defining an access window allowing said cassette to be withdrawn or inserted into said holding cage ,
• two working cylinders CT, lower and upper, two intermediate cylinders CI, lower and upper, and two bearing rolls CA, and at least one lateral support member CP1, CP2 for each work roll CT.

The two working rolls CT, lower and upper, define the gap of the strip to be rolled and are provided floating in the holding cage. They are held axially by axial abutments and laterally by the lateral support members CP1, CP2. The lateral support members are preferably two in number per work roll CT, in order to maintain said work roll CT, on each side of the clamping plane.

The lateral support members may comprise a first lateral support cylinder CP1 and a second lateral support cylinder CP2, arranged on either side of the working cylinder CT.

• un cylindre 2 destiné à constituer l'un des deux cylindres intermédiaires CI dudit laminoir,
• deux empoises 3 sur lesquelles sont montées rotatifs les extrémités dudit cylindre 2 par l'intermédiaire de palier,
• au moins un bras support 4 dudit au moins organe d'appui latéral, apte à supporter latéralement l'un des cylindres de travail CT du laminoir, ledit bras support 4 s'étendant entre les deux empoises 3 et étant monté pivotant par rapport auxdites empoises 3.

Cassette 1 forms a self-supporting assembly comprising:

• a cylinder 2 intended to constitute one of the two intermediate cylinders CI of said rolling mill,
• two chocks 3 on which are rotatably mounted the ends of said cylinder 2 via a bearing,
• at least one support arm 4 of said at least lateral support member, able to support laterally one of the working rollers CT of the rolling mill, said support arm 4 extending between the two chocks 3 and being pivotally mounted relative to said chocks 3.

Preferably, said cassette comprises two support arms 4, on either side of said cylinder 2, and supporting respectively two lateral support members, in particular two lateral support cylinders CP1, CP2.

Each lateral support cylinder CP1 or CP2 can be supported on two sets of rollers. The rollers are mounted on two axes by means of bearings at the lower part of the support arm 4.

Such a cassette may constitute the upper cassette and / or the lower cassette of a Sexto type mill supported laterally.

• des moyens d'application d'efforts de serrage entre les empoises des cylindres d'appui CA,
• des moyens d'application d'efforts verticaux de cambrage sur les cylindres intermédiaires CI,
• des moyens d'application d'un effort de précharge sur les organes d'appui latéraux CP1,CP2.

Such a rolling mill conventionally has, in addition to said holding cage and said support, intermediate and work rolls:

• means for applying clamping forces between the chocks of the bearing rolls CA,
• means for applying vertical bending forces on the intermediate cylinders CI,
• means for applying a preload force on the lateral support members CP1, CP2.

The means for applying vertical bending forces on the intermediate rolls comprise, in a conventional manner, for each intermediate roll CI, a set of balancing jacks acting on the thrust on lateral lugs of the chocks 3 of the cassette. 1. The cylinders may be single-acting cylinders, distributed above and below each lug 35 and acting solely to the thrust to arch the intermediate cylinder positive or negative. Alternatively blocks of bending (in English "Maes block" ) can be provided vertically movable relative to the amounts to perform this same function, cooperating with said ears 35.

The means for applying a precharge force can comprise, for each lateral support member CP1, CP2, in a conventional manner, at least one preloading jack 10 acting on the thrust on one of the support arms 4 to constrain the lateral support member CP1 or CP2 on the working roll CA. Conventionally, these means are provided on a corresponding force distribution beam 11. This beam 11 extends between two corresponding uprights 12 at both ends of the cage. The position of this force distribution beam 11 can be adjusted, horizontally, in order to bring it closer to the support arm 4, or on the contrary to move it away from said support arm 4, for example by means of a screw / nut actuator 13.

According to the invention, said cassette 1 comprises at least one pair of support elements 5 receiving the ends of a rotation shaft 6 of said at least support arm 4.

Advantageously, the two support elements 5 are removably attached, respectively, to the two chocks 3 of the cassette and in such a way as to allow the disassembly of said at least one support arm 4 of the chocks 3 and / or the mounting of said at least one support arm 4 on said chocks 3, without modifying the spacing between said chocks 3, and independently of disassembly / mounting of said cylinder 2.

The figure 2 illustrates, for the better understanding of the invention a cassette comprising on the right, a support arm 4 fixed to the chocks according to the invention via a pair of support elements 5, and to the left, a support arm 4 fixed to the chocks according to the state of the art, thanks to a rotation shaft whose ends are threaded directly into bores of the bodies of the two chocks.

As illustrated in figure 3 , it is noted that, according to the invention, the support elements 5, removable, allow disassembly and removal of the support arm 4, right, without having to change the spacing of the chocks 4, and thus, without having to disassemble the cylinder 2.

Then, the support elements 5 allow the mounting of the support arm 4, while the ends of the cylinder 2 are already received in the bearings of the chocks 3. The invention thus allows the disassembly / assembly of the support arm 4, regardless of disassembly / assembly of the cylinder 2.

On the contrary, the support arm 4 ', left, according to the state of the art, requires to remove the chocks to extract the ends of the rotation shaft 6' of the bores of the chocks, thus forcing the simultaneous disassembly of the cylinder 2 Mounting the support arm 4 'on the chocks also requires the cylinder 2 to be mounted on the chocks.

As illustrated by way of non-limiting example on the figure 5 each chock 3 may have a U-shape view from above, with a median portion 30 receiving one of the ends of said cylinder 2 via a bearing (ie a hydrostatic bearing or a bearing), and two lateral parts 31 for the respective support of two support arms 4.

At least one, preferably even the two side portions 31 of the chock 3 are each of smaller dimension (depending on the height) to said middle portion 30, so as to create with the or each middle portion 30 a housing 32 for receiving and fixing said support member 5. The housing is created, in particular by the support surface which is defined thereafter.

The support member 5 is a body having a bore 50, in particular through, intended to receive one of the ends of the rotation shaft 6, to the interlocking set close, possibly via two slip rings 53. The body of this support member 5 may have a bearing surface 51, intended to bear on a bearing surface 33 of said lateral portion 31 of the chock. According to one embodiment, this bearing surface 33 is oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder 2, and may be horizontal.

Optionally, to ensure the proper positioning of the support member 5 on the chock 3, said support member 5 and said chock 3 have a mechanical keying 34,52.

This mechanical keying device 34, 52 may comprise, as a non-limiting embodiment, a complementary pin / hole pair 52 respectively belonging to said chock 3 and to said support element 5, or vice versa and oriented in the direction perpendicular to the surface. 33. The pin 34 engages in the hole 52, to the interlocking game near, to ensure the proper positioning of said support member 5 on said chock 3, at least along the two directions of space contained in a plane parallel to the bearing surface.

The support element 5 may have tapped bores, opposite bores of the body of the chock 3, allowing the insertion of screws and the tightening by screwing the support member 5 on the bearing surface 33 of the 'chock 3.

According to one embodiment, said rotation shaft 6 is fixedly mounted relative to the chocks 3. Each end of the rotation shaft 6 can be inserted into a bore formed in the mass of the body of the support member 5. A washer 60, or another equivalent blocking element may allow to limit to a small stroke, for example between 2 mm and 8 mm (ie + or - 2 mm) the axial displacement of the rotation shaft 6 in the support member 5. In order to facilitate these small axial displacements, said slip rings 53, for example made of bronze, can be provided between the rotation shaft 6 and the body of the support element 5.

Such axial displacements allow a slight adjustment of the spacing between the two support elements 5 with respect to the actual dimensions between the chocks 3, and thus facilitate the mounting of the support arm to the chocks, in particular when the engaging parts (ie pin 34, hole 52) of the mechanical key must be nested.

The rotation of the support arm 6 relative to the chocks 3 can be obtained by pivoting said support arm 4 relative to the rotation shaft 6. For this purpose, the support arm 4 can be provided with slip rings 40, for example in bronze, between the body of the support arm 44 and the rotation shaft 6. Alternatively the rotation of the support arm relative to the chocks can be obtained, according to an example not shown, by the rotation of the rotation shaft relative to the chocks.

Optionally, the body of at least one of the support elements 5 may have an internal pipe (not shown) for a lubricant fluid, which in particular extends an internal pipe on one of the chocks 3, the pipe opening at a opening 36 on the second bearing surface 33. This fluid circuit can be used to drive a lubricant and then route it by means of one or more hoses or piping in the support arm 4, for example to lubricate guide members such as roller bearings bearing on the lateral support cylinder CP1 or CP2, or to the other support member 5 for lubricating the bearings of the other chock.

According to the findings of the inventor, such a circuit, independent of the rotation shaft 6, is more reliable and more tight than that known from the state of the art and which uses the hollow shaft, identified 17. According to findings of the inventor such a circuit as disclosed by the document US.6,041,636 , is with wear, subject to leakage at the joints of the hollow shaft.

Advantageously, the disassembly of said at least one support arm 4 of the chocks 3 and / or the mounting of said at least one support arm 4 on said chocks 3 does not require any intervention on the pipes or hoses of this fluid circuit, those being embedded on the non-dissociated assembly comprising the support arm 4, the rotation shaft 6 and the two support elements 5.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said cassette 1 may have spring means and stops holding said at least one support arm 4, or the two support arms 4 in the outwardly spaced position. These spring means, in particular in the form of a torsion or pressure spring, can be provided between the support arm 4 and the chocks 3, again between the support arm 4 and the support element 5, to constrain the support arm , and thus the lateral support member CP1 or CP2 which it carries away from the working cylinder CT, when the cassette is in the cage.

The support arms 4 are thus retracted against the stops, when not constrained by the precharging cylinders, away from the working cylinder CT, in a position facilitating the removal of the working cylinder from the cage.

Naturally other embodiments of the invention could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims below.

NOMENCLATURE

• 1. Cassette,
• 2. Cylinder,
• 3. Empois,
• 4. support arm (fixed to the chocks according to the invention),
• 4 '. Support arm (fixed to the chocks according to the state of the art),
• 5. Support elements,
• 6. Rotation shaft (support arm 4 according to the invention),
• 6 '. Rotating shaft (support arm 4 'according to the state of the art),
• 7. Screw,
• 10. Preload cylinder,
• 11. Beam of distribution of efforts,
• 12. Cage amounts,
• 13. Actuator screw / nut,
• 30. Median part (Empoise 3),
• 31. Lateral parts (Empoise 3),
• 32. Housing (Empoise 3),
• 33. Support surface (Empoise 3),
• 34. Centering pin (Empoise 3),
• 35. Ears (Empoise 3),
• 36. Opening (Empoise),
• 40. Slip ring,
• 50. Bore (Support Element 5),
• 51. Support surface (support element 5),
• 52. Centering hole (Supporting element 5),
• 53. Slip ring (Support element 5).
• 60. Lock washer (rotation shaft),
• IT. Support cylinder,
• THIS. Intermediate cylinder,
• CT. Work cylinder,
• CP1. Cylinder lateral support,
• CP2. Cylinder lateral support.
• E.T. State of the art,
• INV. Invention.

Claims (12)

1. Cassette (1) intended to be provided on a rolling mill, said rolling mill comprising a retaining stand comprising two pairs of posts spaced from one another at the two ends of the stand, at least two posts of the same pair defining an access window allowing said cassette to be removed from or introduced into said retaining stand, said rolling mill comprising two working rollers (CT), two intermediate rollers (CI), and two bearing rollers (CA), as well as at least one side bearing member (CP1, CP2) for each working roller (CT),
   and wherein said cassette (1) forms a self-supporting unit comprising:

   - a roller (2) intended to constitute one of the two intermediate rollers (CI) of said rolling mill,

   - two chocks (3) whereon are mounted the ends of said roller (2),

   - at least one support arm (4) of said at least one side bearing member, able to laterally support one of the working rollers (CT) of the rolling mill, said support arm (4) extending between the two chocks (3) and being mounted pivotingly in relation to said chocks,

   characterised in that said cassette (1) comprises at least one pair of support elements (5) receiving the ends of a rotating shaft (6) of said at least one support arm (4) and in that the two support elements (5) are detachably fixed, respectively, on the two chocks (3) and in such a way as to allow for the disassembling of said at least one support arm (4) of the chocks (3) and/or the assembling of said at least one support arm (4) on said chocks (3), without modifying the spacing between said chocks (3), and independently of the disassembling/assembling of said roller (2).
2. Cassette according to claim 1, wherein each chock (3) has, seen from above, a U shape, with a median portion (30) receiving one of the ends of said roller (2), and two side portions (31) for supporting of two support arms (4).
3. Cassette according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the side portions (31) of the chock (3) is of a dimension less than said median portion (30), in such a way as to create with the median portion a housing (32) for the receiving and the fastening of said support element (5).
4. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said support elements (5) are detachably fastened on the chocks (3) by means of a screw (7).
5. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said support element (5) and said chock (3) have a mechanical foolproof device (34, 52) in order to provide for the proper positioning of said support element (5) on said chock (3).
6. Cassette according to claim 5 wherein the mechanical foolproof device comprises a complementary pin (34) / hole (52) pair, with the pin/hole pair belonging respectively to said chock (3) and to said support element (5), or inversely, engaging mutually in order to provide for the proper positioning of said support element (5) on said chock (3).
7. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each support element (5) can be displaced on the rotating shaft (6), axially, according to a limited course of travel.
8. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said rotating shaft (6) is mounted fixed in relation to the chocks (3) and wherein said support arm (4) is mounted pivoting in relation to said rotating shaft (6), or alternatively said rotating shaft is mounted pivotingly in relation to the chocks and the support arm (4) is mounted fixed in relation to said rotating shaft (6).
9. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising two support arms (4), each supporting a side bearing member and wherein each of the support arms (4) is detachably fastened to the chocks (3) by the intermediary of a pair of support elements (5).
10. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 9, having spring means and abutments that maintain said at least one support arm (4), or the two support arms (4) in a position spaced outwards.
11. Cassette according to one of claims 1 to 10 wherein at least one of the support elements (5) has an internal duct intended to convey a lubricant to on-board members of the support arm (4) or to the other support element (5) and which extends an internal duct of the body of one of the chocks (3).
12. Rolling mill comprising two upper and lower working rollers (CT), two upper and lower intermediate rollers CI), and two upper and lower bearing rollers (CA), as well as at least one side bearing member (CP1, CP2) for each working roller (CT), said rolling mill comprising a retaining stand comprising two pairs of posts (12) spaced between them at the two ends of the stand, with at least two posts of the same pair defining an access window allowing for the removal from or introduction into said retaining stand of an upper cassette (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising said upper intermediate roller, and said at least one side bearing member of said upper working roller, and of a lower cassette (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising said lower intermediate roller, and said at least one side bearing member of said lower working roller.

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