US1854597A - Rolling mill - Google Patents

Description

April l932- E. w. MlKAELS ON 1,854,597

ROLLING MILL Filed Aug. 24, 1928 Q 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 19; 1932. w MlKAELSON v 1,854,597

ROLLING MILL Filed Aug. 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmwtoz attouwq 5 April 1932- E. w. MlKAELSON 1,854,597

ROLLING MILL I Filed Aug. 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 7 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ERIK W. MIKAELSON, OF EASTONfPENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TREADWELL EN- GINEERING COMPANY, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IENN- SYLVANIA ROLLING MILL Application filed August 24, 1928. Serial No. 301,805.

This invention relates to rolling mills and has for its object the provision of novel means for supporting the necks of the rolls I mid points in rolling operations.

The herein disclosed method of accomplishing this result consists in so supporting the roll neck bearings that the latter may move individually to assume the correct po: sition of alignment with the deflected rolls.

The construction disclosed is shown as applied to a three-high rolling mill in which the rolls are supported in roller bearings mounted in bearing blocks which may move bodily within the bearing housing. It has been found that the bending of the axis of a roll as a result of the severe stresses which spread the rolls on the passing of a metal blank through the mill will tend to cant the roll necks and will cause excessive wear of the supporting bearings if these bearings are fixed. It is of particular importance to permit this bodily movement of the bearing Where the rolls are mounted in roller bearings having a series of rows of rollers, since the deflection of the roll will throw the load on that row of rollers which is nearest the rolling surface. By permitting the bearing assembly to rock within its supportin housing, the load will be uniformly distributed on the roller bearings, and excessive wear at any one point will be prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means for the roll bearings which may be adjusted to take up wear.

Further objects of the invention will. be apparent from the following description of the inventiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the rolling -mill embodying my invention;

bly supporting means taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 1s a section of the bearing assem-- Figure 4: is a section through the roll necks taken on the line 4.4 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, a three-high rolling mill comprising the conventional base 10, end frames 12 and cap 13 is disclosed. The base and end frames are hereinafter referred to broadly as a housing. The necks of rolls let, 15 and 16 are journaled in bearing blocks, each block preferably having housed therein a plurality of rows of rollers comprising anti-friction means for facilitating free rotation of the rolls. It will be understood that the use of anti-friction bearings for the roll necks is preferred but is not essential to the invention herein disclosed since similar results may be'obtained with any desired type of bearing. The bearing blocks 27 for the upper and lower rolls l4: and 16 are supported in the housing in any well-known manner and preferably as shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings, in which the bearing blocks are retained against movement in the, direction of the roll axes by the lugs 28 which are adjustably mounted on the roll housing, vertical adjustment of the blocks being effected by means of the screw spindles 29 and 30. Each bearing block 17 for the middle roll is provided with two hardened metallic bearing members 18, one 011 either side thereof, said bearing members being retained in apertures formed in the lower surfaces of the block, as shown in Fig. 4. These bearing members rest on cooperating hardened metallic hearing members l9which are mounted in any convenient manner in the housing, and are provided with convex upper surfaces which are so formed that the block is permitted to rock on the members 19 in the plane of the rolls. While the drawings disclose convex surfaces on the members 19 only, the surfaces of the members 18 may be so formed instead, or if desired, members 18 and 19 may present opposing convex surfaces.

The upper support for each middle roll bearing block comprises hardened steel bearing members 20, which are similarly located on each side of the block. The members 20 are preferably seated in depressions in the block as shown in Figure 3, and vertically seen that a downward thrust on the keys 23 will serve to adjust the bars 21 and the bearing block for the middle roll to take up wear between the hardened bearing members 18 and 19. This thrust may be provided in any well-known manner but is preferably obtained by the use of wedge members 25 which are seated in slots in the upper side of the keys 23 and are located between these keys and the cap 13 of the housing. Screw theaded devices indicated generally at 26 serve to move each wedge endwise to effect vertical movement of the corresponding key 23 and bar 21. It will be noted that each bar 21 is also provided-with a convex surface at its lower end which rests on the corresponding member 20, and therefore the bearing block for the middle roll may rock or slide either on the bar 21 or the member 19.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the above, mentioned description taken in connection with the drawings. When the axis of the metal roll is deflected from a straight line due to the passing of metal between the rolls, each bearing block 17 will automatically accommodate itself to such deflection since it may partake of bodily movement within the supporting housing. Adjustment of the screws 26 will serve to position the block due to wear on the hardened metallic bearing members. As a result, the thrust during the rolling operation is transmitted uniformly to the several rows of roller bearings, and excessive wear of the inner row is avoided.

In the event that plain bearings are used, the wear on the bearing surfaces is uniformly distributed throughout the length thereof,

whereby the life of the bearings is prolonged and their effectiveness is increased due to the elimination of binding of the roll necks within the bearings.

The provision of separate hardened metallic bearing members for the bearing blocks is preferable since wear on the engaging surfaces of the blocks and housing is thereby reduced, and replacement of the worn parts is facilitated. a

The invention is not restricted to the specific embodiment thereof disclosed in this application, but may obviously be modified within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a three-highrolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearing members for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing members are mounted, and means for supporting the bearing members for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said members within the housing on deflection of said roll, said means each comprising a pair of hardened steel inserts in said housing provided with convex surfaces for engagement with the bearing member and constituting the lower support, and an upper support, the latter being adjustable to eliminate vertical play between said supporting means and said middle roll bearing member.

2. Means for supporting the middle roll of a three-high rolling mill, comprising a housing, a cap for said housing, journal bearings for each end of the roll seated in said housing, members vertically movable in said housing and engaging said bearings. to limit upward movement thereof, and wedges disposed between the cap and the housing for adjusting said members vertically to clamp said bearings in position.

3. A mounting for the middle roll of a three high rolling mill. comprising bearings for the ends of the roll, upper and lower hardened steel inserts in said bearings, a housing for supporting said bearings, hardened steel inserts in said housing for engaging said lower bearing inserts, and vertically ad ustable means for engaging said upper bearing inserts.

4. A mounting for the middle roll of a three high rolling mill comprising bearings for the ends of the roll, upper and lower hardened steel inserts in said bearings, a housing for supporting said bearings, hardened steel inserts in said housing for engaging said lower bearing inserts, Vertically adjustable means for engaging said upper bearing inserts, and wedges associated with said means and said housing for adjusting the bearings to eliminate-vertical play between said inserts.

5. In a three high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle and a lower roll, of roller'bearing, assemblies for suporting said rolls, a housing in which said earing assemblies are mounted, and means carried by' said housing for supporting the bearing assemblies for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said assemblies, said means each comprising a rigid lower support and an adjustable upper support, the engaging surfaces of said means and said assemblies being so constructed as to produce straight line contacts therebetween.

6. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearing members for sup orting said rolls, a housing in which said hearing members are mounted, and means for supporting the bearing members for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said members within the housing on deflection of said roll, said means each comprising a pair of hardened steel inserts in said housing provided with convex surfaces for enga ement with the bearing member and con-. stituting the lower support, a member adjustable vertically in said housing having a convex surface in engagement with said bearing member and constituting an upper support, a key engaging said member, and a wedge for adjusting said key and member.

7 In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of roller bearing assemblies for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing assemblies are mounted, a cap on said housing, and means for supporting the bearing assemblies for the middle'roll to permit rocking movement of said assemblies in the plane of the rolls on deflection of the roll, said means each comprising a pair of hardened steel inserts in said housing on either side of and below each bearing assembly, coacting hardened steel inserts in said assembly, a pair of vertically movable members above and on either side of said assembly, and hardened steel inserts in said assembly contacting with said vertically movable members, the surfaces of said members and said first mentioned inserts which are in engagement with said assembly inserts being convexly formed.

8. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of roller bearing assemblies for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing assemblies are mounted, a cap on said housing, and means for supporting the bearing assemblies for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said assemblies in the plane of the rolls on deflection of the roll, said means each comprising a pair of hardened steel inserts in said housing on either side of and below each bearing assembly, coacting hardened steel inserts in said assembly, a pair of vertically movable members above and on either side of said assembly, hardened steel inserts in said assembly contacting with said vertically'movable members, the surfaces of said members and said first mentioned inserts which are in engagement with said assembly inserts being convexly formed, and horizontally movable wedges for adjusting said vertically movable members to eliminate vertical play between the assembly and ,the housing inserts.

9. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of roller bearing assemblies for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing assemblies are mounted, a cap on said housing, and means for supporting the bearing assemblies for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said assemblies in the plane of the rolls on deflection of the roll,

said means each comprising a pair of hardened steel inserts in said housing on either side of and below each bearing assembly, coacting hardened steel inserts in said assembly, a pair of vertically movable members above and on either side of said assembly, hardened steel inserts in said assembly contacting with said vertically movable members, the surfaces of said members and said first mentioned inserts which are in engagement with said assembly inserts being convexly formed, a key engaging each vertically movable member and a horizontally movable wedge engaging each key to eliminate vertical play between the assembly and the housing inserts.

10. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of hearings in which said rolls are journalled, and bearing supporting means engaging said bearings, said supporting means and the bearings for said middle roll making straight line contacts transverse to the roll axis, said roll being otherwise free to flex in a substantially vertical plane, whereby said bearings may rock in response to roll deflection.

nation with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearing members for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing members are mounted, and means for supporting the bearing members for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said members within the housing on deflection of said roll, said means each comprising cooperating parts on said bearing member and housing relatively movable about axes transverse to the roll axis.

12. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with the upper and lower rolls, of bearing members for said rolls, a housing in which said bearing members are mounted, means associated with said housing for adjusting said rolls toward each other, a middle roll, bearings for said middle roll, means carried by said housing for supporting'said middle roll bearings for shifting movement about axes transverse to the roll axis, and means for adjusting said supporting means with respect to the housing to eliminate ver tical play between said supporting means and said middle roll bearings.

13. In a three-high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearing members for supporting said rolls, a housing in which said bearing members are mounted, and means for supporting the bearing members for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said members within the housing on deflection of said roll,

said means each comprising cooperating,

parts on said bearing member and housing relatively movable about axes transverse to the roll axis, and means for adjusting one of 11. In a three-high rolling mill, the combisaid parts to eliminate vertical play between said parts. I

14. In a three high rollingmill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of a housing, roll bearings for rotatably supporting the necks of the middle roll, and means associated with said housing and resisting bodily vertical movement of said middle roll bearings and supporting the latter for tilting movement in the vertical plane including the roll axes.

15. In a three high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearings in which said rolls are journalled, and bearing supporting means engaging said bearings, said supporting means and the bearings for said middle roll making straight line contacts above and below the roll and transverse to the roll axis, said roll being otherwise free to flex in a substantially vertical plane, whereby said bearings may rock in response to roll deflection.

16. In a three high rolling mill, the combination with an upper, a middle, and a lower roll, of bearing members for supportingsaid rolls, a housing in which said bearing members are mounted, and means for supporting the bearing members for the middle roll to permit rocking movement of said members within the housing on deflection of said roll, said means each comprising cooperating parts on said bearing member and housing capable of relative rocking movement in the vertical plane including the roll axes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

I ERIK W. MIKAELSON.

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