US3310971A - Apparatus for continuous steel rolling and having movable roll stands - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1967 NORIYASU MOTOMATSU ETAL 3,310,971

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS STEEL ROLLING AND HAVING MOVABLE ROLL STANDS Filed Dec. 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NORIYASU MOTOMATSU TAMOTSU ICHIKAWA KATSUYOSHI TANAKA BYh/MM ATTORNEYS March 3, 9 NORIYASU MOTOMATSU ET 3,310,971

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS STEEL ROLLING AND HAVING MOVABLE ROLL STANDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1963 F/GZ INVENTORS WpmA/L NOR IYASU MOTOMATSU TAMOTSU ICHIKAWA KATSUYOSHI TANAKA ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,310,971 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS STEEL ROLLING AND HAVING MOVABLE ROLL STANDS Noriyasu Motomatsu and Tarnotsn ichikawa, Kitakyushn,

Fukuoka, and Katsuyoshi Tanaka, Kasnya-gun, Fukuolra, Japan, assignors to Yawata Iron & Steel (10., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 327,429 Claims priority, application Japan, Dec. 7, 1962, 37/555153 3 Claims. (Cl. 7221) This invention relates to an apparatus for continuous rolling of steel materials, and more particularly to an apparatus for continuous rolling of shaped steel, large cross-sectional steel, and the like.

Although apparatus for continuous rolling of b and steel and bar steel have hitherto been fully developed and actually utilized, the process and apparatus for continuous rolling of shaped steel, steel material relatively large in cross-sectional size, etc. have, to the best of our knowledge, not yet come into actual use.

The reason for this fact is as follows: In the rolling of band steel and bar steel, the tension of the steel material between rolling stands can be cont-rolled by making the material form a loop, or can be easily controlled electrically because, for example, the estimation of the working diameter of the roll caliber for such steel material as bar steel is relatively easy. On the contrary, the tension control is very difiicult in the rolling of shaped steel, large cross-section steel, etc, because the manner of transformation of the material in the space between the rolls for such steel material is very complicated, because the formation of the above mentioned loop is impossible, and because of other obstructive conditions. Thus, the continuous rolling in the latter case is extremely hard so far as it depends on the conventional methods for tension control.

The present invention has obviated the above-mentioned difiicul-ty by the provision of a process and apparatus for continuous steel rolling characterized in that a mechanical shifting mechanism is fitted to each rolling stand (rolling mill) so that all or some of the rolling stands can automatically move in the direction of the rolling line according to the tension of the material being rolled, and a detecting and controlling device is combined with each shifting mechanism to immediately detect the movement of the corresponding rolling stand and control the rolling speed of the rolls in the stand.

An object of this invention is to provide an industrial apparatus for continuous steel rolling employing novel automatic or manual controlling means instead of loop formation etc. particularly for economical rolling of various types of shaped steel including extremely thin shaped steel, large cross-section steel and the like, the continuous rolling of which has been impossible because of technical difiiculties in loop formation and other prior controlling means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for continuous rolling of shape-d steel in which easy and sure automatic or manual control of the speed of the rolls in each rolling stand (rolling mill) can be freely performed, without the need of looping the material, by means of a mechanical shifting mechanism and a detecting and controlling device coupled with the mechanism, both being mounted on each rolling stand.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanical controlling mechanism that is mounted on each rolling stand and capable of controlling the tension of the material between the rolling stand on which the mechanism is mounted and the adjacent rolling stand, without looping the material, by permitting the rolling stand to move in the rolling line direction according to the tension of the material being rolled.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description and the appended claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the operational principle of a continuous rolling apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an exemplary embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the operational principle of this invention will be explained.

Rolling stands designated as 1 are located in a row, and each stand 1 can be moved by a light force in a direction parallel with the longitudinal direction of the material (steel) 3. Namely, stand 1 is supported on rollers or other parts 5 which will permit it to shift on supporting members 6 having smooth or sliding surfaces. When rolls 2 and 4 are pressed by a force in the right-hand or letthand direction, stand 1 can move right or left along the line of the path of the material 3. in FIG. 1, mate-rial 3 runs from left to right when rolled. As long as the rolling speed of each roll is completely proper, each stand stays in its set position. However, in case this balance is lost due to some cause or other, material 3 is subjected, between stands 1, to a tensile or compressive force, caus ing stand movement.

For example, a tensile stress occurring in the material 3 between rolling stands H and n works to pull both stands toward each other. In this case, the rotating speed of rolls 2 and 4 of stand n is raised or the rotating speed of the rolls of stand 11 is lowered to return stands 11 and 11 to their original positions for normal rolling operation. When a compressive stress caused in the material 3 between stands n, and n forces the stands to move away from each other, the reverse operation may be performed to reposition the stands. Such is also the case with stands n and 11 Thus, according to the present invention, continuous rolling can be carried out with the material 3 completely freed from any tensile or compressive force; that is, in the same state as in ordinary reciprocating rolling. Accordingly, the mill motors used in a continuous rolling apparatus embodying this invention need not have as high accelerating and decelerating characteristics as required in prior continuous rolling operations.

The above rnentioned principle of the present invention will be more particularly explained hereinun'der in con nection with an illustrative embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. in FIG. 2, the material advances from left to right along the path line 3. When the material sent from the rfront-stage stand (not shown) is seized between the rolls 2 and 4 of the stand shown in FIG. 2, a detecting device 14 immediately operates to send a seizure signal to a locking means. In accordance with the signal from the detecting device 14 including,- for example, a photoelectric tube, the locking means operates to release the stand 1 that has been locked in order to provide resistance to shock. I

The latches 10 fitted in the notches 9 provided in the supporting frames 8 and 8' are removed as seen in FIG. 2. It is to be noted here that the detecting device 14 may be mounted at any spot between the rear of the rolls 2 and '4 and the front of the rolls of the next stand. The latches 10 in the locking means serve to prevent the stand 1 from being shaken and moved by a shock caused by material being seized between the rolls 2 and 4 at the time when the rolling is started. Therefore, the latches 10 are removed at the same time the material is seized between the rolls, and return to their engaged position after being signaled by the detecting device 14 immedi ately after the material has left the rolls. The latches 10 are released and reset by latch engaging apparatus 11 through links 12. Namely, the signal from the detecting device 14 causes the latch engaging apparatus 11 such as an electromagnetic type or cylinder type to actuate the links 12, which then move to release the latches '10. Rollers 5 and 5 bear supporting frames 8 and 8, and, together with these frames, constitutes a shifting mechanism for the stand 1. Provided in stationary stands 7 are rolling or sliding devices 6 and 6' to keep the supporting frames 8 and 8 parallel with the path line 3. Since such is the construction of the illustrated rolling apparatus, it will be understood by reference to FIG. 1 that, when the material passing between the front-stage stand 12 and the middle-stage stand 71 which is here assumed to be the stand 1 in FIG. 2, or between the present stand and the rear-stage stand 11 is subjected to a tensile or compressive force, the stand 1 moves either right or left parallel with the path line 3 of the material. The movement of this stand is detected by a stand-movement detecting device A connected, as shown in FIG. 1, to one of the rollers 5 and 5' rotatably mounted on the stationary stand 7; and according to the detected magnitude of movement, the roll speed of the stand 1 is controlled manually or automatically. For automatic control of the roll speed, the detecting signal is fed, as shown in FIG. 1, to a rollspeed controlling mechanism B, and further the amount of change in speed signaled by the mechanism B is transmitted to a roll driving motor M. Thus, the rotating speed of the rolls 2 and 4 can be easily increased or decreased according to the direction of movement of the stand 1, and consequently, the stand 1 returns to its starting position. Moreover, in order that the stand may always be returned to its starting position when there is no material between the rolls 2 and 4, a signal is transmitted from the detecting device 14 when the material being rolled leaves the rolls in order to energize a relay to send a stand replacing order to a stand replacing dc vice 13. Therefore, in case the stand is still off the starting position when the material has just left the rolls, the above-mentioned relay causes the stand replacing device 13 to operate to return the stand to its starting position. When the stand is returned to its starting position, the latch engaging apparatus 11 in the locking equipment works to fit the latches it? into the notches 9 for locking the stand 1. Upon completion of the engagement of the latches into the notches 9, the stand replacing device 13 is made disengaged. Thus, the stand 1 is ready to receive the next material. The above operation is repeated for further rolling. Besides, since the distance of the stand 1 can move is restricted by such factors as the clearance between the stand 1 and the stationary stands 7 carrying various mechanisms, the allowable inclination of the spindle of the main driving system, the stand replacing limit of the replacing device, etc., the stand 1 should be capable of being returned within this allow-able distance. In addition, this invention permits all or some of the rolling mills located on a common polling line to move along the path line.

In the latter case, the movable rolling mills can be selected from among all the mills in view of the configuration of the rolling apparatus and other conditions.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that, with a rolling process and apparatus embodying the present invention, continuous rolling of shaped steel or large crosssection steel or economical rolling of extremely thin shaped steel can be easily performed, without need of any loop 4 formation, being controlled automatically or manually, if necessary. Furthermore, the accelerating and decelerating characteristics of the mill motors used in a continuous rolling apparatus embodying the principle of this invention need not be so high as those required in conventional continuous rolling operations.

While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed by way of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the constructions, combination and arrangement of parts or elements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rolling apparatus comprising a rolling mill in a rolling mill line for rolling material, means movably supporting said rolling mill for free longitudinal movement along the mill line, the movement of said rolling mill along the mill line being caused by the tensile or compressive force produced in the material being rolled during operation of the rolling mill, driving means coupled to the rolls of said rolling mill, and detecting means coupled to said driving means and detecting the distance which the rolling mill moves in response to the force in the material being rolled and controlling the speed of the rolls in a manner for reducing the force in the material.

2. A rolling apparatus comprising a rolling mill in a rolling mill line for rolling material, means for movably supporting the rolling mill for free longitudinal movement along the mill, a detector means for releasing signals which indicate whether the material being rolled is seized or freely movable in the rolling mill, a locking means for securing the rolling mill against free longitudinal movement when the signals released by said detector means indicate that the material is freely movable, and a releasing means for enabling the rolling mill to be free for longitudinal movement when the signals released by the detector means indicate that the material is seized by the rolling mill.

3. A rolling apparatus comprising a rolling mill in a rolling mill line for rolling material, means mova-bly supporting said rolling mill for free longitudinal movement along the mill line, the movement of said rolling mill along the mill line being caused by the tensile or compressive force produced in the material being rolled during operation of the rolling mill, driving means coupled to the rolls of said rolling mill, and detecting means coupled to said driving means and detecting the distance which the rolling mill moves in response to the force in the material being rolled and controlling the speed of the rolls in a manner for reducing the force in the material, a detector means for releasing signals which indicate whether the material being rolled is seized or freely movable in the rolling mill, a locking means for securing the rolling mill against free longitudinal movement when the signals released by said detector means indicate that the material is freely movable, and a releasing means for enabling the rolling mill to be free for longitudinal movement when signals released by the detector means indicate that the material is seized by the rolling mill.

Reierences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1921 Jones 72-487 4/1963 Rice 72l87

Claims (1)

1. A ROLLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A ROLLING MILL IN A ROLLING MILL LINE FOR ROLLING MATERIAL, MEANS MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID ROLLING MILL FOR FREE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG THE MILL LINE, THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROLLING MILL ALONG THE MILL LINE BEING CAUSED BY THE TENSILE OR COMPRESSIVE FORCE PRODUCED IN THE MATERIAL BEING ROLLED DURING OPERATION OF THE ROLLING MILL, DRIVING MEANS COUPLED

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