US2811059A - Spray apparatus - Google Patents

Description

P. P. APPLEBY SPRAY APPARATUS Oct. 29, 1957 Filed July 2. 1954 S N WM @M .NGE n @wmw Qm.

INVENTOR /C//L/D P PLBY ATTORNEY 2,811,059 SPRAY APPARATUS Application July z, 1954, seri-a1 No. 441,002

s claims. (ci. zzo-,41)

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid coolant, and more particularly to apparatus for controlling the temperature of metal working rolls, especially those employed in cold rolling mills of the 4-high type, although not limited thereto. In the rolling of metal, particularly wide strip metal in cold reducing mills, dissipation of the heat generated by the work done on the metal and picked-up by the work rolls is necessary in order to prevent roll-overheating, loss of roll contour control and uneven rolling, and this control of the roll vtemperature becomes increasingly imperative as rolling speeds are increased. Conventionally liquid coolant is discharged onto the work rolls by means of several lines of sprays at different levels spaced outwardly from each roll, each spray usually having a multiplicity of aligned jets or nozzles,r and sometimes a deector for each nozzleV or a single long one for all of them is used ,States Patent O to cause the discharge from each'nozzle to assume a flat shape andto' spr`ea`d lengthwise of the roll. This is desirable, but considerable difficulty with such multiple nozzle sprays arises from the fact that the coolant Vfrom each nozzlespreads or fans out in substantially a triangular form as viewed in plan. Because ofthis, the spacing of the sprays from the rolls is very critical. a

n It is only when each spray is so spaced from the roll that these triangles of coolant meet just as they hit the, roll that there is an even distribution of the coolant over the desiredv roll length. On the other hand, if the coolantsupply pressure' drops from a constant value or theY spray istoo close 'to the roll, some of the roll is not cooled directly since the coolant from the nozzles has not Ytravelled far enough to spread out sufficiently and meet. Conversely, if the spray is too far from the roll or'if the pressureY increases, the adjacent triangles of coolant m'eet too Vsoon and overlap With'considerable turbulence and cause alternate areas along the roll to receive too Ymuch orV too little coolant. Since the sprays have' to be adjusted toward or away from the rolls as often as therolls are changed, or the coolant supply pressurevaries, it becomes impossible to keep the sprays in such proper relation to the rolls at all times that the jets of coolant from' each nozzle'will cover only a precise length of roll surface( Under these circumstances, it is impossible properly to adjust the individual jets for volume as desired and needed to maintain the contours of the rolls, and uneven rolling results. Since the amount of coolant required is constantly increasing due to higher rolling speeds, while space in a mill is limited, it is not always 'possible' to lit the number of nozzles with defiectors and piping thereto in the available space to supply coolant in suicient volume to prevent undesired rise in rolltemperature.V Hence, an inadequate volume of coolant imposes definite limitations on rolling speeds or if the heat dissipating capacity of such sprays is exceeded for too long a time, there is liability ofthe rolls to swell beyond'the point where satisfactory gage and flatness of metal will be produced, with resultant loss of rolled'niaterial.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, all of these ditliculties are overcome to such an extent that high speed rolling may be carried on with highly efficient results, in the quality and yield of product, and With elimination of frequent and troublesome spray position adjusting operations.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide roll cooling apparatus which shall be effective for controlling the temperature of metal working rolls throughout the desired extentof their lengths, and to be capable of supplying the coolant tothe rolls in quantities adequate to dissipate the heat therefrom as rapidly as they accumulate heat resulting inthe maintenance of sufficiently low roll temperatures at relatively high rolling speeds to prevent loss of roll contour control.

Another object is to provide a mill roll cooling apparatus of such construction that it will be effective to discharge a solid sheet of liquid coolant of uniform crosssection against the surface of the roll throughout the desired length of the roll regardless of variations in the coolant supply pressure and in the spacing of the apparatus from the roll.

A further object is the provision of a liquid coolant discharge or spray device incorporating a continuous discharge slot, with internal means for dividing the passageway through the slot into a series of contiguous, but independently controllable, discharge outlets of equal lengths, whereby to permit selective zone cooling of any desired portion of the length of the roll.

Still another object is the provision of a liquid discharge type of roll cooling device specifically of simplified and improved form and which is easy and economical to con-l struct and install, and which occupies a minimum of mill space adjacent to the rolls.` j r Yet another object is to` provide a coolant discharge device of tubularform having a continuous discharge slot in the Wall thereof and internally divided into 'Zones by a simple core element, each zonexsupplied byA an inlet, and simple means in each zone to cause it to. put out through the discharge slot a substantially parallel sidedu streamofcoolant.

These and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawing illustrating several embodiments which the invention may take and wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a 4-high mill with the work roll cooling devices, in one form of the invention, mounted in operative position; v

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale, showing the extended bracket mounting for the uppermost spray device shown in Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the cooling devices and showing the preferred form thereof;V

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken 0n the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing a dif-V ferent form ofthe invention. l j a L Referring first to Fig.g1v of 'the drawing,"A` represents a rollover which strip material S maypass to enter thel bite between a pair of work rolls B, the latter beingv backed-up by large diameter backing rolls'zC. The,niiIlV rolls B and C aregjournalled'in Vrollneck bearings; not" shown, which are`moun`ted in spaced mill"housings, H, representing a portion of one ofthe housings.` AOn the inner face of each housing, there is suitably mounted 'a' supporting plate 10 extending across the usual window in the housing toa point near the work'rolls B at the fentry side thereof. i v y Detachably secured to these plates 10 'aremounting plates ,11 and, 12 in wliihLdischargetubcS; er. Sprays .l

and K14 are journalled at their ends nfor discharging liquid coolant onto the top work roll. The uppermost tube 13 is located in the valley between the work roll and its backing roll to permit downward discharge o f the coolant high upA on the work roll, so as to promote a smooth ow of coolant along the Vroll sur-f'acetwith lesswbouncing of the coolant oiv the roll vsurface.- ThisV positioning of the top tube 13 also results in a minimum Aof coolant reaching the backing roll Cv and being thrown out of the mill due -to the high peripheral speed of' the backing roll.4 lThe other discharge tubel 14 is located near the middle of thework roll and also discharges" downwardly. This smooth flow is enhanced by adjusting the Ytubes angularly about their axes to bring. the discharge paths from their outlets into substantially tangential relation to the roll surface'. To this end, each tube is provided near its ends with an arm 1S formed with an arcuate slot 16 through which a bolt 17, threaded into the adjacent mounting plate, extends to clamp the tube in adjustment.

Since the work rolls are redressed as needed and, hence, become smaller in diameter, vertical adjustment of the discharge tube 13 is aorded by providing vertical slots 18 in the mounting plates 11, through which slots the clamping bolts 19 for the plates 11 extend. The back of each plate 11 is provided with a key slot 20 which receives a vertical key 21 secured to the face of the plate 10, so as to prevent tilting of the top tube 13 in all positions of vertical adjustment. The tube 13, of course, normally remains in fixed operating position, and vertical adjustment thereof is etected only as the need to avoid interference with the top backing roll arises which occurs only after the work rolls have given much service and have been reground many times.

For cooling the lower work roll, two similar coolant discharge tubes or sprays 22 and 23 are provided. They are located near the middle of the bottom work roll and discharged upwardly and downwardly, respectively, in paths substantially tangential to the roll, as shown, the downward flow of the coolant from tube 23 giving maximum scrubbing action on the work rolls. They are journalled in mounting plates 24, below the mill pass line, and have arms for permitting angular adjustment thereof, in duplication of the mounting and adjustment of the discharge tube 14.

Each of the four roll cooling devices is of duplicate construction and the only difference to be noted is that the outlets from 13 and 23 are in right angle relation to-"thcir inlets, whereas the outlets from 14 and 22 are opposite their inlets. Their construction, in preferred form, is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

Referring thereto, each device comprises a tube 25 and an internal core 26 that projects equal amounts-from the ends of the tube. Near its ends, the core is formed with a closure plug or disc 27 which iits inside tube 25 and is welded thereto in a liquid tight connection. Outside eachplug, a hub 28 is formed on the core-on which the arm 15 is received, a key 29, or other suitable means, being provided to hold) the arm againsty rotation on the hub. Beyond each hub, the core terminates in a trunnion 30, whereby the integrated tube and coreunit may be journalled in the mountingv plates, as hereinabove described. I

A continuous lengthwise slot or outlet 31 having a smooth surface finish is provided in the wall of tube 25 and it terminates' an appropriate distance from each end offthe tube. Preferably, a'thick walled tubevis usedso that it will withstand the internal pressure of the liquid coolant therein without the slot-openingup-I The slot length-is made coextensive with the length of work roll uponjwhich it is desired to impinge'theV coolant and, for example,.ma`y be 643inchessfor'a 72 inch mill.` VThe core isformed with aseries ofintegralnariow'rings or 'collars 32 at equally spaced intervals, such as 4 inches'for example; alon'g'its' length withinfthe tube' which constitute partitiomwaus adivinal the interior of the tube.:r into- 'a1' series of individual compartments or chambers 33 and subdivide the slot 31 into an even number of equal length sections or zones without entering it. These rings engage the inner wall of the tube with a snug fit, a liquid tight tit being unnecessary, so that the core and tube mutually reinforce each other for greater lateral stiffness.

The slot 31 constitutes an outlet from each chamber and an inlet 34 is` provided for each chamber. The inlets are regularly spaced inline and disposed at the desired angular relation to the outlet. Preferably, the partition collars 32 are disposed midway between adjacent inlets. Each inlet may suitably include a half length of a 1/2 inch pipe coupling welded to the tube 25 into which a male end fitting 352' of aiiexible hose 35 may be threaded, the hose permitting angular adjustment of the tube 25 about its axis, as above described.

Any suitable valve controlled pipe line arrangement may be used to deliver a suitable coolant to the inlets. However, exibility of control of the sprays in zones or sections both vertically and lengthwise of the rolls is desirable and it is further desirable to provide individual throttling of each outlet along the face of the top work roll, in accordance with known practice. In the present instance and as shown schematically in Fig. l, two supply headers 36 and 37 provided with outlet valves 38 and 39 are located, one above the other, at the operators station at the delivery side of the mil. Pipe lines 40 and 41 run from the valves to the entry side of the mill, above the pass line, and terminate in Ts 42 and 43, with branch lines 40a and 41a extending to Ts 44 and 45 below the pass line. The flexible hoses 35 of two adjacent inlets of the spray tubes 22 and 23 are connected to the Ts 44 and 45, respectively; while the exible hoses of the corresponding two adjacent inlets of the upper spray tubes 13 and 14 are connected to the Ts 43 and 42, respectively, with a throttling cock 46 inserted in each connection. Duplicates of these two outlet valves and their pipe line connectionsl to the remaining pairs of inlets on the respective spray tubes, of course, are provided; there being as many such valves 38 and 39 spaced in line on the two headers as there are inlets on one spray tube, for example 16 for a spray tube provided with 16 inlets controlling 4 inches of spray width. Four inlets (two each on 14 and 22 or 13 and 23) are connected to each valve, thereby reducing by one fourth the number of valves and pipe lines. To cover an exemplary 8 inch wide zone from top to bottom, two valves identitied with that zone, one on each header, may be operated and likewise for the other vertical zones across the face of the rolls. Also, each valve controls the exemplary 8 inch wide zone of an up per and alower spray. The series of valves 38 and 39 thus afford iiexible overall control of the sprays which the operator may adjust to give the desired results without even seeing them, while further and line control is afforded bythe throttling cocks 46 of the top sprays 13 and 14.

The coolant may be supplied to the headers from a suitable pressure source, not shown.

The purpose of the core is threefold; to separate the discharge tube into a multiplicity of spray sections or zones, each supplied by an inlet, to cause the incoming coolant to spread within each zone and ow uniformly and smoothly from the outlet in a at, substantially paral- .lel sided stream, and to provide a pivot at each end for mounting in a suitable bearing. The second is of extreme importance in order to eliminate overlapping and turbulence where the outtiow from the zones meet. It has been found that a core of round section will not spread or distribute the inlet flow properly, and the resultant discharge from each zone fanned out and overlapped the discharge from adjacent zones with considerable turbulence, as with sprays having nozzles. It has further been found that `a suitable deliector carried by or integral' with theV core and having al substantially fiat or slightly concave deecting surface directly opposite or facing the' inlet will spread the inlet flow properly and produce a substantially parallel sided stream from each zone. Accordingly, in the preferred construction, the body of the core in each chamber, for a length substantially equal to that of the outlet therefrom, is formed with a substantially flat deflecting surface or chord face 47 centered on and normal to the axis of inlet 34 and of a Width preferably slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet into the chamber, as shown in Fig. 4, which inlet diameter may be equal to either the inside or outside diameter of the hose fitting 35a. The thickness of the annular space between the inside wall of tube and the body of the core is also made greater than the width of the outlet 31 so as to give full ow from the inlet to the outlet.

In operation, with the valves 36, 37 and 46 open, the coolant enters the chambers 33 through the inlets 34, strikes the intercepting perpendicular deector surfaces 47 of the core, and is caused thereby to spread out in radial directions and ow to the ends of the chambers, as well as around the body of the core, and discharges through the slot 31. The total area of the slot 31, of course, is less than the combined areas of the inlets to produce a pressure discharge. Due to the interception and spreading of the full area of the incoming stream of coolant within each chamber, the stream of coolant discharging from each chamber through its outlet is smooth and uniform in section and is substantially parallel-sided with just enough expansion to meet with adjacent streams with no appreciable turbulence and stream thickening. As a result, a solid sheet of coolant of uniform cross-section is formed by jointure of the individual streams before reaching the rolls and this sheet of coolant impinges against the roll surface tangentially and flows quite smoothly and uniformly thereover. In practice, this has proven effective for controlling the roll temperature under maximum rolling speeds, since more coolant may be supplied by such sheet than could ow through that number of nozzles with deectors which would t in the same space. A further advantage is that the integrity of the sheet of coolant is unaffected by variations in the supply pressure and, since divergent triangles of coolant are not formed, the position of the discharge tubes toward or away from the roll is not critical to complete coverage of the desired length of roll surface.

The heretofore described zone control of the sprays by operation of the valves 38 and 39 enables the volume of coolant discharged in each zone lengthwise of the rolls to beA regulated from full flow to shut-off independently of its neighboring zone, thereby permitting the operator to eiect very close roll temperature and contour control, in accordance with the conditions. The cocks 46 are useful asa supplemental control, permittingvariable throttling or cut-out of each chamber of the top sprays 13 and 14. A small amount of leakage past the rings 32 into a chamber or a pair of chambers constituting a zone which has been cut-off by valve closure may occur, but is not harmful since no pressure will develop in the unused chamber or chambers and the leakage coolant therein will not be projected to the rolls.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, a tube 2S, with spaced inlets 34a, corresponds to the tube 25, but is provided with a wide outlet slot 319- which is made adjustable by means of a pair of arcuate plates 48 of a length equal, at least, to that of slot 31a and clamped to the tube 25a by means of screws 49 spaced along the length of the plates. The screws pass through enlarged holes in the plates, thereby permitting the plates to be adjusted toward and away from each other so as to provide the desired width of outlet 50 therebetween.

Inside tube 25a, a core 51, formed from substantially square bar stock so as to require very little machining, is used. lt is turned down at its ends to provide trunnions, as indicated at 52, for journalling in the mounting plates, arms corresponding to arms 15 being slipped on the core inside each trunnion so as to permit angular adjustment of the discharge tube. Along its length inside the tube, the core has welded thereto a series of narrow discs or rings 53 which correspond to the rings 32 and serve to divide the tube intova series of chambers, each served by an inlet. The core falso is provided with closure discs, functionally corresponding to plugs 27, to which the ends of tube 25ad are welded in a se-aled joint. A size of bar stock is selected such that the width of its sides substantially equals, but preferably slightly exceeds the diameter of the inlets into the chambers and one side is centered on and faces the inlets in perpendicular relationship the-reto, thereby causing the coolant inflow to be intercepted and spread or deflected to the ends of each chamber and produce a substantially parallel-sided outflow or discharge stream.

While specific constructional forms of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising an elongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slot terminating short ofthe ends of the tube for discharging coolant onto the roll, a series of spaced inlets for said tube, i'n-line and angularly spaced from said discharge slot, means for sealing the ends of said tube and for journalling the same for rotative adjustment on its longitudinal axis, a central core in said tube in spaced relation thereto and secured to the ends thereof, a series of narrow, raised ring elements on said core at points between said inlets and engaging the inner wall of the tube to divide the tube into a series of individual chambers, said core being formed with a substantially flat chord face forming a deflecting surface in each chamber, centered on and facing the inlet thereof in perpendicular relation thereto, said chord face being of a length substantially equal to that of the outlet from each chamber and of a width slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet into each chamber, whereby to cause the coolant inflow to spread to the ends of the chamber and produce a substantially parallel-sided outflow stream therefrom and means connected to said inlet for conducting liquid coolant thereto.

2. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising an `elongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slot terminating short of theends of the tube for discharging coolant onto the roll, a series of spaced inlets for said tube, in-line and angularly spaced from said discharge slot, a central core in said tube in spaced relation thereto and extending equal distances past the ends thereof, closure plugs on said core fitting inside the ends of said tube and welded thereto, trunnions formed on the ends of said core, mounting plates in which said trunnions are journalled, for adjustment of said tube on its axis to bring said discharge slot into preselected angular direction of discharge, arms extending outwardly from the ends of said tube and adapted to be clamped to said mounting plates to hold said tube in adjusted position, a series of narrow, raised ring elements on said core within said tube at points between said inlets and engaging the inner wall of the said tube to divide the tube into a. series of individual chambers, a substantially at deflecting surface on the length of said core in each chamber, centered on and facing the inlet in perpendicular relation thereto, and of a width slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet into the chamber whereby to cause the coolant inflow to spread to the ends of the chamber and produce a substantially parallel-sided outow stream therefrom, and means connected to said inlets for conducting liquid coolant thereto.

3. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising an elongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slot terminating short of the ends of the tube for discharging coolant onto the roll, a series of in lets for said tube, in-line and angularly spaced from said discharge slot, means for sea-ling the ends of said tube and for journalling the same for rotative adjustment on its longitudinal axis, a substantially square core in said tube in spaced relation thereto and secured to the ends thereof, a series of narrow, raised ring elements secured to said core at points between said inlets and engaging the inner wall of the tube to divide the tube into a series of indivi-dual chambers, said core having sides of a Width substantially equal to the inlet diameter and being disposed with one side centered on and facing said inlets in perpendicular relation thereto, whereby to cause the coolant inflow to spread and produce a substantially parallel-sided outflow stream from each chamber, and means including flexible hose connections to each of said inlets for supplying liquid coolant to said chambers.

4. In apparatus for controlling the temperature of a rolling mill roll, the combination with an elongated tube closed at its ends, a continuous discharge outlet through the wall of said tube for discharging liquid coolant onto the mill roll, means for supporting said tube at its ends for rotative adiustrnent on its axis, of a core spaced from the inner wall of said tube and extending end-to-end thereof in fixed relation thereto, spaced partition walls carried by said core dividing the space between the tube and core into a series of individual chambers, an inlet for each chamber langularly spaced from said outlet, means for supplying liquid coolant to each inlet, and deflector means on said core spaced from said tube and provi-ding a substantially flat deilecting surface in each chamber of a length substantially equal to that of the outlet therefrom, said defleetor means being disposed with its said dellecting surface centered on and facing the inlet of each chamber in perpendicular relation thereto and being of a width sufficient to intercept and spread 8 the cooa'nt inflow within the chamber and produce a substantially parallel-sided outflow stream therefrom.

5. A liquid coolant discharge device for a rolling mill roll and the like' comprising an elongated tube closed at both: ends and having a continuous Idischarge slot terminatingsliortof the ends of the tube for pressure discharge Yof the coolant onto the roll, means for journalling said tube' at its ends in parallelism with the mill roll axis for rotative Iadjustment on its longitudinal axis, core means' disposed in said tube in fixed spaced relation to the inner wall thereof and including a series of equally spaced narrow partition walls engaging the inner Wal-l of said tubel and dividing the tube into a series of separate chambers,` said slot constituting an outlet from each chamber, inlet for each chamber spaced from its outlet, means including a seriesof valve controlled pipe lines, each connected to one of said inlets for conducting coolant under pressure to said chambers, for discharge therefromv in selectively controllable zones, and a substantially flat-faced dellecto'r in each chamber in spaced, perpendicular relation to the inlet thereof and of a face area at least equal toj the area of Said inlet for spreading the inilow stream of coolant in radial directions Within each chamber and: produce asubstantially parallel-sided discharge' stream therefrom.

References' cited in the are of this patent tmr'rEDl STATES PATENTS 489,388V McNaney Jan. 3, 1893 996,767 Jackson July 4, 1911 V1,425,196 Grossenbacher Aug. 8, 1922 2,017,403 L orig et al. Oct. 15, 1935 2,234,153,V Herbert Mar. 4, 1941 2,550,899. Zsamboky May 1, 1951

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