GB1304006A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1304006 Rolling metal powder BRITISH IRON & STEEL RESEARCH ASSOCIATION 5 Aug 1970 [6 Aug 1969] 39328/69 Heading B5A Metal powder e.g. stainless steel, is hot. or cold rolled between the nip of rollers 10, 11 which it enters from a hopper 12 having opposed side walls e.g. 14, contacting the roller surfaces and end walls 15, 16 contacting the roller end faces, and which hopper 12 is supplied with metal powder over a weir 24 of a fluidized bed container of the metal powder. The fluidized bed is maintained in the container 17, from metal powder supplied thereto pneumatically or by a conveyer 23, by fluidizing gas entering through a porous metal or ceramic container base and which may be air, for cold rolling, or a reducing or inert gas which may be heated for hot rolling. The weir 24 is located vertically in line with the roller nip, is vertically adjustable with respect to the fluidized bed, is at least equal in length to that of the rolled strip and is preferably curved as in Fig. 5 to be lower at the ends than at the centre thereof so that more metal powder is supplied to the edges of the nip to compensate for leakage therefrom. Friction between powder in the hopper and the hopper and walls 15 and 16 is reduced by a layer of pressurized gas introduced through porous end walls e.g. 22.