US2172616A

US2172616A - Rolling mill system

Info

Publication number: US2172616A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1939-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-12

Description

Sept. 12, 1939. c. J. KLEIN ROLLING MILL- SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l (T/ a renc j zl ein Sept. 12, 1939. c. J. KLEIN ROLLING MILL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 '4' clarencg jj l??ein @Jflm m/M Sept. 12, 1939. Q J. KLE|N 2,172,616

ROLLING MILL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheefs-Sheet 3 fig. 3.

INVENTOR Clarence J. Klein Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l'lClaims.

My invention relates to rolling mill systems and is particularly applicable to apparatus forhandling strip metal after-it has passed through the finishing stand of a rolling mill. The term strip metal or strip, is herein used to designate metal which is rolled in lengths many times greater than its width and'such as is usually referred to in the trade as strip, sheet, and strip sheet material.

After strip material has been passed through the finishing stand of a rolling mill, the modern practice is to coil the strip in suitable coils by means of a power-driven coiler, reel or winding drum. The end of the strip must be secured in some fashion to the reel, which has a cylindrical surface on which the material is coiled. In order to fasten the strip to the reel, the mill has to be at rest so that the workmen will have an opportunity to fit the end-of the strip into the gripping notch usually associated with the reels now in use. It is also necessary that the end of the strip be sheared square to fit in the gripping notch or other fastening device associated with the reel. Furthermore, it is not possible to finish the strip to gauge unless the mill is being continuously operated; consequently, it

is necessary to discard a considerable length of the strip which first comes through the mill. In general, even with experienced workmen, several 0 minutes are consumed before the strip is securely fastened to the reel and the mill and reel can be started and the mill be driven at commercially desirable speeds.

It is customary after a coil has been formed to the desired size to strip the coil from the reel and to pick up the coil by a crane or by a suitable truck orother handling apparatus and convey the coil to a suitable storage space. The surface of the coiled metal is usually highly fin- 40 ished and it is essential that the coils, which are of great weight, be carefully handled to prevent unnecessary marking and consequent injury of the materialboth on the inside and the outside of the coil. Such marking reduces the commer- 45 cial value of the material. Sometimes the handling arrangements are not immediately available at the time desired, and the operation of the mill has to be suspended until coil-handling equipment is available so that the finished coil may be taken from the mill and a new coil can be started on the reel.

By my invention I provide apparatus which will allow the strip to be immediately wrapped around the reel without preliminary shearing of 55 the ends, which are commonly fish-tailed and uneven, and without stopping the mill so that a very short period of time is required to wrap a .sufllcient number of turns around the reel to securely hold the strip in winding contact with r the reel. Consequently, the mill can be run 5 at a commercial speed within a very short time and thus increase to ameasurable extent the out-- 1 put of the mill. Furthermore, the bending of the strip caused by the gripping means on the commonly used reel is such as to cause undesirable 10 marking for a number of turns of the finished strip. By the use of my invention, there is a considerable saving in scrap losses, as such markings are less frequent with apparatus of the type which 1 have invented, and all the strip in the 15 coil is rolled at gauge for practically its whole length.

In general, my apparatus comprises a reel or winding drum by which the strip may be coiled 20 around the reel as it emerges at a comparatively high rate of speed from the mill and means for stripping the finished coil from the mill and transporting it away from the reel. The coil may then be conveyed to weighing apparatus without undue handling and thence to a storage space outside the longitudinal center line of the mill. To accomplish this I provide means which can be moved into position to wrap the strip around the reel; means which can be moved into position under the coil while on the winding drum to support the weight of the coil while it is being stripped therefrom; means for moving the support with the coil to a clear position beyond the reel, whereupon the coil support is retracted and the top of the support incontact with the coil is tilted so as to cause the coil to roll oil. the support and onto a conveyor by gravity. The coil then moves along the conveyor to a weighing platform and from the weighing platform to a storage space.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration only a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a. plan view, partly in section, of an arrangement of apparatus made. according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section along the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view showing the wrapping device in position for wrapping the strip around the winding drum; and

Figure 4 is a Similar view showing the wrappi apparatus .in retracted position away from the winding drum.

In the drawings, the numerals 2 and I represent the housings of a 4-high rolling mill, I and I represent the working rolls and backing-up rolls,

respectively, or. the mill, and I represents an idling. roll interposed between the exit side of the working rolls I and the winding drum or reel I. Conventional means for driving this winding drum are designated generally as 2.

Associated with the winding drum or coiler I is a strip-wrapping mechanism or belt-wrapper II. The winding drum and the strip-wrapping apparatus are arranged alongthe center line of the mill with which they are associated. This wrapping apparatus is movable into and out of wrapping engagement with the winding drum I by means of a piston rod ll, attached to a piston movable in cylinder l2, which cylinder may be operated by fluid such as air or water. The operating connections for the cylinder are not shown. The strip-wrapping apparatus may be of any usual type such as shown in Figures 2, 3

and 4, and it is so arranged that the longitudinalaxis of the apparatus is along the longitudinal axis of the rolling mill and the longitudinal axis of the coiler with which the apparatus is associated. The belt wrapper consists of two spaced apart side plates I: on which are mounted linkages l4, l5, controlled bysprings l6. Link I4 is rotatably secured to plate It at I! and to link II at It. Midway oftheir length, the links I5 are joined by a cross member l9 trunnioned to the links so that the member I! can rotate about its longitudinal axis. A connecting plate 2| is secured between the side plates I3, and between plate 29 and member I! the springs it are interposed, the action of which springs tends, through the force exerted against member It, to rotate link I5 clockwise about joint l8. Rotatably secured between the lower ends of links It is a roller or pulley 2| which is constrained to move in a straight line by means of member 22, which is slidably received in track 23 secured between plates l3. Rotatably secured between plates II and in fixed position are rollers or

pulleys

24, 25 and 26. Journaled between plates ll, preferably on the same centers as pulley 28, is a. link 21 which carries

wrapping rollers

28 and 29 rotatably secured thereto. Link 21 can be rotated around its point of attachment to plate It. A lap belt 30, which may conveniently be of rubber and fabric construction, passes around rollers 2|, 24, 25, 26, 21 and 29, as shown particularly in Figures 3 and 4. It will be observed that under the action of spring is, exerted through linkage l4, l5, and the weight of link 27 and associated

rollers

28 and 29, the tensioning roller 2| will cause the belt 30 to assume the position shown in Figure 4, when there is no other force exerted against belt 30. When the belt is moved against reel 8, tensloning pulley 2| will be moved to the right, as shown in Figure 3, springs It will be compressed, and link 21 and associated

pulleys

28 and 29 will assume the upright position shown in Figure 3. The belt is then in position for causing the strip to be wrapped around the reel 8.

The supporting plates or frame ii are mounted on a carriage 3| which is moved back and forth along a convenient track 32 by the move-' ment of piston rod I Movement of frame I! back and forth will cause the belt to move out of and into position for wrapping the strip around the reel I. The wrapping position is shown in Figure 3 and the non-wrapping position in Figure 4.

When it is desired to coil a reel of strip material, the belt wrapper is moved into the position shown in Figure 3 by the movement of piston rod II to the right and the strip 33 is passed over the idling roll I and between belt 30 and reel 2. which reel is turned counterclockwise as shown in Figure 2; The strip is then held between the belt 3. and the outside of the winding drum I until several turns have been made on the drum, whereupon the wrapping apparatus is retracted by means of the piston rod II to the position shown in Figure 4, where it is wholly out of engagement with reel 8.

Positioned below the winding drum I is coil handling apparatus 24, such as described and claimed in my copending application for Coilhandling apparatus, Serial No. 116,229, filed December 16, 1936, now Patent 2,156,695. As set forth :in said application, the .cradle 35 can be raised into position to support the formed coil on the reel or winding drum 8, which reel is of the collapsible type. After the coilhas been finished, the reel is collapsed and the weight of the coil is' supported by cradle 35 and by means of a stripping member (not shown), the coil is r pped from the reel and the cradle 35 is moved to the discharge position beyond the center line of the rolling mill. The movement of the coilhand ling apparatus is accomplished by a piston rod 38 movable in cylinder 31. The cradle is raised or lowered by the operation of the piston I0 moving in cylinder 5|. When the stripped coil has reached the position shown in chain lines II (Figure 1), cradle 35 is lowered whereupon the coil will roll by gravity onto conveyor 39.

Conveyor :9 comprises a number of rollers 40, rotatably supported on guides 4|. The top plane of the conveyor slopes slightly downward to the 'left or away from the coil handling apparatus 34. At the end adjacent the coil handling app ratus the top plane of the conveyor is at a level with the top left upper face of the cradle 25 when the cradle is in the lowermost position as shown in Figure 2. By inspection of Figure 2, it will be seen that the top surface of cradle 35 slopes upwardly to the right when the cradle is in the lowered position as shown in that figure. Consequently a coil" supported on that surface will roll oil of the cradle 35 and on to the conveyor 39. 'A portion 42 of the conveyor is arranged over a scale pit 43, and a scale of ordinary construction is attached to this portion of the conveyor so that coils placed on this section of the conveyor may be weighed. A depression 44 is provided on the conveyor guides 4| in which a stop such as an ordinary upright round bar can be inserted to hold the coil in place while it is being weighed. As soon as the coil has been weighed, the stop is removed and the coil will move under gravity to the end of the storage space.

I have shown in chain lines a coil 45 on scale pit 42 and coils 46, 41 and 4! on the storage space at the end of the conveyor 3!.

It is to be observed that the belt wrapper and the coil-handling apparatus must be arranged so that they are not in engagement with the coil at the same time and that the longitudinal axis of the belt-wrapper and the longitudinal axis of the coil-handling apparatus are disposed at substantially right angles to one another.

With apparatus constructed according to my invention, it is not necessary that the end of the strip coming from the finishing roll 5 of the mill be squared and it is not necessary that the speed of the mill be unduly reduced.

The end of the strip 33 is rapidly and expeditiously secured to the winding drum 8 through the aid of the belt-wrapper and the material is not marked during the coiling thereof, or by subsequent handling. As soon as the coil has been completed on the winding drum, it is stripped therefrom by means of the coil-handling apparatus which I have mentioned and conveyed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the mill to a position beyond the center line of the mill and in line with the conveyor 39. By operation of the coil-handling apparatus, the reel may then be transferred from the coil-handling apparatus to the conveyor 39 by the action of gravity and it may then be moved along conveyor 39, first, to

the weighing pit l3 and thence to a desired storage position on the conveyor.

The reel or winding drum in a mill of this character necessarily occupies a fixed position directly in line with the pass or longitudinal axis 'of the rolling mill. The belt-wrapper and the coil-handling apparatus must both operate in juxtaposition to this reel. Consequently, the present system provides an arrangement wherein the wrapping pparatus may be advanced so that the belt engages the reel to start the winding of the strip while the coil stripper or handling apparatus is retracted from the reel. After the coil has been started and a few turns of strip wrapped around the reel, the wrapper is retracted, leaving a free passage for the coil-handling apparatus tocome into position to remove the coil from the reel. By using a type of coil-handling apparatus that removes the coil from the reel and carries it to one side thereof and thus beyond the pass line of the mill, the coil is carried clear of the wrapper, reel, and mill to a point where it can be readily disposed of. Moreover, the provision of a run-out conveyor at one side of the roll pass allows the coils to be disposed of without interfering with the operation of the wrapper or of the mill and enables the wrapper to be positioned in linewith the mill so that the longitudinal ax s of both are in substantially the same line.

It is apparent that by the use of my invention, the time required for starting material on the reel is greatly reduced, the material is not marked and can be expeditiously and properly handled without depending on other equipment. The output of the mill is very considerably increased, due to the smaller amount of time during which the speed of the mill is reduced, and there is a considerable reduction in scrap loss. The total cost of strip and sheet manufacture is, therefore, considerably reduced.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the apparatus described, but that it may be otherwise constructed and embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

belt wrapper being arranged for independent operation into and out of operating position with 2. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which the material to be rolled is coiled, a belt wrapper for cooperation with the reel and movable into and out of engagement therewith, and coil handling apparatus vertically movable from a position below the reel into a position adjacent the reel to contact the material wound thereon, there being suilicient clearance between the coil handling apparatus when in the position below the reel and the belt wrapper so that the belt wrapper can move into and out of engagement with the reel, the longitudinal vertical axis of the reel and the longitudinal vertical axis of the coil handling apparatus lying in substantially the same plane.

3. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which the rolled material may be coiled, a belt wrapper movable into and out of engage 1 ment with the reel for coiling the material thereon at the beginning of the coiling operation, and coil handling apparatus vertically movable from a position directly below the reel and also laterally of the reel, said wrapper being movable into and out of engagement with the reel when the coil handling apparatus is below the reel, both said belt wrapper and coil handling apparatus being arranged for independent operation into and out of operating position with the reel at alternate periods, the path of operation of said coil handling apparatus being transverse to the longitudinal, vertical axis of the mill.

4. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which the material rolled by the mill may be wound, said reel being in line with the pass line of the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel in line with the pass line of the mill, the transverse vertical axis of the reel and the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill being in substantially the same plane, coil handling apparatus movable from a position below the reel to a positon to engage the material wound thereon, said apparatus being also movable in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel, said belt wrapper being movable into and out of operating position with respect to the reel, while the coil handling apparatus is in a position below the reel, and a runout conveyor, the longitudinal vertical axis of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill and spaced therefrom.

5. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which material may be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handling apparatus movable from a position below the reel to a position to engage the material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel whereby a coil of material thereon may be carried from the reel to a discharge point, said belt wrapper being movable into 00- operating position with the reel, while the coil handling apparatus is below the reel.

6. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which material may be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handling apparatus mdvable from a position below the reel to a position to engage the material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel whereby a coil of material thereon may be carried from the reel to material' thereon, coil handling apparatus movable irom a position immediately below the reel to a position adjacent thereto for supporting the wound material on the reel, means on the apparatus for stripping the coil from the reel, said apparatus being movable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel to a discharge point therebeyond, said coil handling apparatus having all parts thereof completely out of the line of travel of the wrapper when the apparatus is below the reel, and a conveyor at the coil discharge point,

said conveyor being substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the reel.

8. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill for rolling strip material, a reel upon which the stripis coiled, coil handling apparatus having a part thereof movable vertically from a position below the reel to a position adjacent thereto for supporting the coiled strip, said apparatus being movable to carry the coiled strip in a plane along '1 the longitudinal axis of the reel to a position clear oi the reel, and a belt wrapper movable into and out of engagement with the reel when the coil handling apparatus is in position below the reel.

9. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel, a belt wrapper for cooperation with the reel, the transverse vertical axis of the reel and the longitudinal axis of the mill being in substantially the same planes and coil handling apparatus vertically movable from a position below the reel to a position closely adjacent thereto, the belt wrapper being arranged for independent operation into and out of operating position with the reel while the coil handling apparatus is in a position below the reel, and a runout conveyor the longitudinal vertical axis of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill and spaced therefrom.

I 10. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill system comprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out of cooperative relationship with the reel for wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of the reeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from a retracted position directly below the reel to a raised position to engage and support the material wound on the reel and movable laterally from a position directly below the reel to a coil 'dischargingposition beyond the reel, the path of movement of the coil handling apparatus being in a plane which is parallel to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis oi the reel.

11. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill system comprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out oi cooperative relationship withthe reel for wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of the reeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from a retracted position directly below the reel to a raised position to engage and 7| support the material wound on the reel and the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out of cooperative relationship with the reel for wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of the reeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from a retracted position directly below the reel to a raised position to engage and support the material wound on the reel and movable laterally when in the retracted position from a position beyond the reel to a position beneath the reel while a coil is being wound on the reel.

13. Apparatus for use in a rolling mill system, comprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out 01' cooperative relationship .with. the reel for wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of the reeling operationand coil handling apparatus movable vertically from a position where it will not retain a coil to a position position where it will not retain a coil to a raised position where it will support and retain a coil and movable laterally from a position directly below the reel to a coil discharging station beyond the reel, and a runout conveyor the longitudinal vertical axis of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill, the surface of the runout conveyor being positioned to receive the coil from the coil handling apparatus when it is in the retracted position at the coil discharging station.

15. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill system comprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out of cooperative relationship with the reel for wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning oi. the reeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from a retracted position directly below the reel to a raised position to engage and support the material wound on the reel and movable laterally from a position directly below the reel to a coil discharging position beyond the reel, the path of movement of the coil handling apparatus being in a plane which is parallel to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis 01 the reel, said coil handling apparatus being movable laterally when in the retracted position beneath the reel while a coil is on the reel.

16. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which material may be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handling apparatus movable from a position below the reel to a position to engage the material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis oi! the reel whereby a coil of material thereon may be carried from the reel to a discharge point, said coil handling apparatus being movable laterally when in the retracted position beneath the reel while a coil is being wound on the reel.

17. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which material may be wound, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel to wind material thereon, coil handling apparatus movable irom a position immediately below the reel 10 to a position adjacent thereto for supporting the wound material on the reel, means on the apparatus for stripping the coil from the reel, said apparatus being movable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel to a discharge point therebeyond, said coil handling apparatus being movable "when in the retracted position laterally from the discharge point to a position beneath the reel while a coil is on the reel.