GB2232106A

GB2232106A - Device for shaping an elongate product

Info

Publication number: GB2232106A
Application number: GB8911126A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Thomas Lawson
Original assignee: Davy McKee AG
Current assignee: Davy McKee AG
Priority date: 1989-05-16
Filing date: 1989-05-16
Publication date: 1990-12-05
Also published as: GB8911126D0

Abstract

The device may take the form of a die or a roll (as shown), and comprises a rigid support member 1, an expansible member 5 mounted on the support member 1 and a shaping member 7 mounted on the expansible member 5. The shaping member 7 shapes the product in use and by applying electrical energy to the expansible member 5 it causes it to expand and contract to adjust the profile of the shaping member, thus controlling the shape of the product. <IMAGE>

Description

DEVICE FOR SHAPING AN ELONGATE PRODUCT Elongate products may be shaped by rolling or by extrusion or by drawing. Rolling applies to metal, plastics material and paper; and extrusion applies particularly to metal and plastics material. Drawing almost exclusively applies to metal.

The rolling of an elongate product, such as strip material, is carried out between at least one pair of rolls. Metal or plastics material is extruded through a die and, in both cases, the roll or die profile is affected by temperature changes, by wear and by deformation due to applied load and pressures.

It is well known to adjust the profile of one or both of the rolls in order to produce a strip of the required cross-section and periodically an extrusion die has to be replaced because the cross-section of the extruded product is not within satisfactory tolerances.

Similarly, when drawing a metal product, such as rod or wire, the die is subject to wear and periodically has to be replaced.

Particularly in the case of a rolling mill roll, the cross-section of the roll varies as a result of wear and also due to temperature and, in many applications, it is desirable to be able to apply continuous adjustment to the cross-section of one or more of the rolls.

According to the present invention, a device for shaping an elongate product comprises a rigid support member; an expansible member mounted on the support member; and a shaping member mounted on the expansible member, said shaping member having a surface which, in use, contacts the product; and electrical means for causing the expansible member to expand and contract to adjust the forces applied to the shaping member and thereby adjust the profile of the shaping member and, hence, the profile of the product.

In one embodiment, the device is in the form of a roll in which the rigid support member is an arbor, the shaping member is a sleeve mounted on the arbor, and the expansible member is disposed between the arbor and the sleeve at positions along the length of the roll. By adjusting the expansible member, the shape of the sleeve is adjusted and thereby the profile of the product which is being rolled.

In another embodiment of the invention, the device may be a die for an extrusion or drawing press in which the support member is a bolster, the shaping member has an opening therethrough of the required cross-section for the product, and the expansible member is positioned between the shaping member and the bolster in order to adjust the cross-section of the opening through the shaping member.

The expansible member may be an electrical conductor which is heated by passage of electric current therethrough and expands as a result of a change in temperature.

In a preferred arrangement, the expansible member is a material possessing a piezo-electric effect, whereby the application of electrical energy to the member causes it to expand, the degree of expansion being controllable by the amount of energy applied to it.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation of a rolling mill roll in accordance with the invention and Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

A rolling mill roll comprises a rigid arbor 1 having a central passage 3 extending therethrough.

Extending around the periphery of the arbor there are a plurality of annular members 5 arranged side-by-side along the length of the arbor. Surrounding the members 5 and the arbor there is a metal sleeve 7 which is secured at its ends to the arbor by means (not shown).

Expansion of each of the members 5 is brought about by applying electrical energy to it. The electrical connections to each member are not shown but extend along the central opening 3 of the arbor and then through radial bores in the arbor. Expansion of any of the members 5 causes local expansion of the sleeve 7 and, by adjusting the energy applied to each and every member 5, it is possible to control the expanded shape of the sleeve and, thus, the profile of the roll. The members 5 may be in the form of electrical conductors which are heated by the passage of electric current and which expand as a result of the change in temperature but, alternatively, the members may expand as a result of a piezo-electric effect. The power source for the members 5 may be mounted internally of the roll or it may be external of the roll, in which case slip rings or the like are required to transmit the power from the generator to the members 5.

In the arrangement in the figures, the members 5 take the form of rings extending around the periphery of the arbor but the expansible members 5 may take the form of strips which are wound spirally around the periphery of the arbor.

Claims

1. A device for shaping an elongate product comprising a rigid support member, an expansible member mounted on the support member and a shaping member mounted on the expansible member, said shaping member having a surface which, in use, contacts the product to shape it and electrical means associated with the expansible member to cause it to expand and contract to adjust the forces applied to the shaping member thereby adjusting the profile of the shaping member and hence the profile of the product.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 in which the shaping member is inside of the expansible member and said surface defines the periphery of the product.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 in which the shaping member is outside of the expansible member.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 and in the form of a roll in which the shaping member is a sleeve.

5. A roll as claimed in Claim 4 in which the sleeve is mounted on the support member which is in the form of an arbor and bodies of expansible material are spaced apart between the arbor and the sleeve.

6. A roll as claimed in Claim 5 in which the expansible material is in the form of rings spaced apart along the length of the arbor with each ring surrounding the arbor.

7. A roll as claimed in Claim 6 in which each ring is an electrical conductor through which an electric current can be passed.

8. A roll as claimed in Claim 5 in which the expansible material is in the form of strips wound spirally around the arbor.

9. A roll as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 8 in which the expansible material possesses a piezo-electric effect which causes it to expand on the application thereto of electrical energy.

10. A roll substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings.