US3373589A - Roll bending device for rolling mill - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1968 J. w. o' RlE 3,373,589

ROLL BBNDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILL INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet J Filed May 19, 1965 HIS ATTORNEY.

March 19, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,

' ROLL BENDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILL Filed May 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VEN TOR. JEQEM/Afi 14 oae/Elv HIS ATTORNEY.

3,373,589 ROLL BENDHNG DEVIQE FOR ROLLING MILL Jeremiah Wagner GBrien, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to United En ineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Fiied May 19, 1965, Ser. No. 157,0190 Claims priority, application Great Britain, .iune 4, 1964, 23,286/64 Ciaims. (Cl. 72-438) ABSCT 61* THE DECLOSURE In a rolling mill having a pair of rolls in which there is provided force applying means, such as piston cylinder assemblies for imposing a force on the ends of the rolls in which the invention comprises a pivotal support carried on the housings of the mill for at least one of the force applying means. This provides a support for the piston cylinder assemblies in the form of a gate whereby the assemblies can be very quickly swung into and out of an operative position.

The present invention relates to an improvement in rolling mills and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to those mills provided with means for applying bending moments to the journals of the backup rolls of a 4-high strip, sheet or plate mill .to control the crown or contour of the backup rolls and, hence, the work rolls.

While the employment of such means for controlling the shape or contour of the workpiece being rolled has proven successful, the actual designs employed have possessed some serious disadvantages, particularly, with reference to impeding the quick and efiicient replacement of the 1 ill rolls. One design in use employs a pair of crown control single-acting piston cylinder assemblies secured to hearing retainers outward of the axes of the rolls, wherein the cylinders themselves fall within the confines of the windows of the mill. In this arrangement, while it is necessary to completely remove the crown control cylinders from the backup rolls to change these rolls, this is not necessary to change the work rolls since their chocks are designed not to extend the full width of the windows, hence they fall within the areas between the cylinders. Nevertheless, the removal and replacement of the work rolls is a precision operation because of a closeness of the parts requiring greater care, skill and time.

In another design, however, where the chocks of the work rolls must extend the full width of the windows, the arrangement of the crown control cylinders in the above manner requires the removal of the cylinders in order to replace even the work rolls.

Two other disadvantages of prior designs have reference to the positive connection required between the crown control cylinders and ends of the backup rolls and the fact that the cylinders had to be located a considerable distance away from the axes of the rolls which imposed limitations as to the magnitude of the crown control pressure that could be employed. An example of a mill possessing these limitations, as well as others, may be seen in referring to US. Patent No. 3,171,305 which issued to M. D. Stone on Mar. 2, 1965.

The present invention provides an arrangement for the roll bending piston cylinder assemblies of the crown control equipment characterized :by the fact that the force-applying cylinders are not interconnected to the supports to which the bending moments are applied to the backup rolls. Consequently, there is no need to disconnect any parts when either the work rolls or the backup rolls are to be changed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for supporting the crown control piston dag cylinder assemblies, wherein the cylinders are movable rom an operative position to an inoperative position and, wherein in the operative position they are located within the windows of the mill and relatively close to the center of the rolls and in their inoperative position the cylinders are located outside the windows of the mill whereby the rolls are free to be quickly removed from the mill. In this regard it will be pointed out that flexible hydraulic lines are provided for the crown control piston cylinder assemblies so that on their removal from their operative positions, there is no need of disconnecting the hydraulic lines provided for the piston cylinder assemblies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the crown control cylinder assemblies two pairs of double piston single-acting cylinders for a pair of rolls. The complementary pistons of each pair are engageable with supporting brackets mounted on the spaced-apart backup rolls to apply bending moments to these rolls. Also included is means for establishing a clearance between the chocks of one of the backup rolls and one of the pistons of each cylinder assembly so that on the discontinuation of the pressure in the cylinder assemblies, one piston of each cylinder will be moved away from the chocks thereby allowing the cylinder assemblies to be moved to their inoperative positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide pivotal supports for the crown control piston cylinder assemblies, the construction being such that the forces generated by the cylinder assemblies are not imposed upon the supports provided for the cylinders.

These features and advantages, as well as others, will be more evident from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a 4-high rolling mill incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of FIGURE 1 which represents the operating side of the mill, wherein the crown control piston cylinder assemblies provided at this side of the mill are shown in their operative position; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines III-III of FIGURE 1.

With reference to the figures, for the sake of clarity, it will be noted that the drawings do not disclose many of the well-known components of the rolling mill, the commonplace of which components is demonstrated by way of example in the aforesaid U. S. patent.

With reference to FIGURE 1, there are shown two identical spaced-apart housings '11 and 12, each housing having a window 13 into which there is received in vertical aligned relationship four rolls. These rolls consist of two cooperating work rolls 14 and 15, each being backed up by backup rolls 16 and 17, respectively. The work rolls are provided, in a customary manner, with bearing-chock assemblies 18, as are the backup rolls 16 and 17, their bearing-chock assemblies being identified by the reference character 19. The work rolls 14 and 15, as FIGURE 1 shows, are driven by spindles 21 and 22, respectively, which are connected to a source of power not shown.

With reference now to the bearing-chock assemblies 19 provided for the backup rolls 16 and 17 and, first, with respect to the assemblies provided for the lower roll 17, it will be noted that at the bottoms of the chocks there are provided rocker plates 23 which engage with rocker plates 24 supported by the housings 1 1 and 12 and by which means the rolling force transmitted to the backup rolls 17 is transferred to the housings. Turning now to the bearing-chock assemblies 19 provided for the upper backup roll 16, it will be noted that in the customary manner they are adapted to be engaged by breaker blocks 25, each having upper spherical surfaces which are contacted by complementary surfaces formed on the lower ends of screws 26 of the screwdown mechanism, not shown, provided for the mill. In this manner on rotation of the screws 26, the upper backup roll 16 and the upper work roll 14 are adjusted in a vertical direction. It might be noted here, with respect to the adjustment of these two rolls that while not shown, the customary means for urging the bearing-chocks 19 and blocks 25 against the screws will be provided, together with means for urging the upper work roll 14 against the backup roll 16.

Turning now tothe mechanism provided for imposing bending moments on the backup rolls 16 and 17 to thereby control the contour or crown of these rolls and, hence, the work rolls 14 and 15, reference will be made again to FIGURE 1. It will be noted that on the outer journals of the backup rolls 16 and 17, there are provided bearings 28, which bearings are received in support brackets 29. These support brackets are provided with horizontal extending feet 30, the opposed surfaces of which are provided with flat horizontal areas, the feet being arranged within the windows 13 and relatively close to a plane containing the axes of the rolls 16 and 17, as FIG- URE 2 clearly shows. In the area represented by the space between the feet of the respective support brackets 29, there is pivotally mounted on the housings 11 and 12 crown control piston cylinder assemblies 31 for the backup rolls 16 and 17. The cylinders of these assemblies are provided, offset from the pistons thereof, with opposed journals 32 and 33 which are received in brackets 3d secured to the outer faces of the housings 11 and 12. It will be appreciated that the cylinder assemblies 51 are pivotally moved within and relative to the brackets 34.

At the top of the brackets 34 there are provided looking devices consisting of piston cylinder assemblies 35, the pistons of which are connected to reciprocable looking pins 36 which are designed to pass into one of two sprocket openings 37, 37a formed at the top of the cylinder-assemblies 31, the heads being formed to agree with the openings, thereby when the pins 36 are in the openings 37, 37a the cylinder assemblies will be locked either in their operative or inoperative positions, such as shown in FIGURE 3.

Turning now to the construction of the cylinder assemblies 31, it will be noted from FIGURE 3 that the pair at the drive side of the mill is stationary While the pair at the operating side is movable. The cylinder assemblies are provided with opposed pistons 38 and 39, the pistons 38 engaging the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29 of the upper backup roll 16 and the pistons 39 engaging the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29 of the lower backup roll 17.

In a given design single piston cylinder assemblies can be employed wherein the cylinders themselves will be carried by the brackets, but movable relative thereto in order to establish a clearance between the brackets and cylinders. Moreover, in a given case a swingable single piston cylinder assembly may be employed for each side of the mill mounted in a place containing the axes of the backup rolls. As indicated by the single fluid lines 41, shown in FIGURE 2, the cylinder assemblies 31 are single acting. The fluid lines 41 feed pressurized fluid through passageways 41a formed in the supports 29, which in turn communicate with the center of the cylinders of piston cylinder assemblies 31.

In order to provide for quick rotation of the cylinder assemblies 31, means are provided for establishing clearances between the pistons 39 and the bracket supports 29 of the lower backup roll 17. This means consists of spring assemblies 42, each of which comprise two diammetrically oppositely arranged springs mounted around the cylinder assembly 31 which are provided with rods 42a, the rods being connected to a flange 43 mounted on the end of the piston 39. The springs are adjusted by double nuts 44. On the collapsing of the pressure in the cylinder assemblies 31, the energy of the springs will cause a retraction of the pistons 39 into the cylinder assemblies 31, thereby clearances will be established between the extreme outer ends of the pistons 39 and the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29. It will be appreciated that in place of the springs 42, piston cylinder assemblies could just as conveniently be employed.

In the present design the cylinder assemblies 31 located on the operating side of the mill are moved from the operative position, as shown in full line in FIGURE 3, to their inoperative position, shown in outline form in FIGURE 3, by means of a workman pulling the cylinder assemblies out from under the support brackets 29. Should a more positive and quicker arrangement be necessary, it will be appreciated that piston cylinder assemblies could be mounted on the housings and connected to the cylinder assemblies for providing quick positioning of the assemblies.

Also, it is important to point out that the mounting construction of the cylinder assembly 31 is such that during operation of the cylinders there is no force applied to the brackets 34 that carries the assemblies.

A description of the movement of the pair of piston cylinder assemblies 31 located on the operating side of the mill will now be given incident to the changing of the rolls 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the illustrated mill. Let it be assumed that these cylinder assemblies 31 are in their operative positions, as shown in FIGURE 2, and that the pistons 33 and 39 are exerting their pressure to impose bending moments upon the backup rolls 16 and 17 along with a pair of cylinder assemblies located at the driven side of the mill. Let it further be assumed that in this particular operation all of the rolls are to be changed, although, it will be appreciated, as previously mentioned, that the work rolls 14- and 15 are more frequently changed than the backup rolls 16 and 17. Since the many prelimi nary steps incident to roll changing, such as the removal of the chock keeper plates and the hydraulic lines, etc. have no relationship to the operation of the cylinders 31, reference to them as far as the roll changing operation is being omitted.

With reference to the piston cylinder assemblies 31, the pressure in the cylinder assemblies 31 will first be exhausted, whereby with respect to the pair of cylinders located at the operating side of the mill the springs 42 will raise the pistons 39 away from the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29 of the lower backup roll 17. At the same time the backup roll 16 will be moved away from the ends of the pistons 38 by raising the screws 26, thereby establishing clearances between the ends of the pistons 38 and the feet 30 of the support brackets 29 of the upper backup roll 16. Once this has been accomplished the one pair of cylinder assemblies 31 are free to be moved from the operative position to the inoperative position, whereby they clear the window 13 of the operating side leaving the area free for the quick removal of the work rolls and backup rolls. These rolls may be removed either as an integral unit or, depending on the facilities, provided for the mill, individually according to Well-known practice.

It will be noted that the arrangement for mounting the cylinder assemblies 31 on the operating side of the mill is such that it is not necessary to disconnect any hydraulic lines in order to allow the cylinders to be moved out of their operative positions. FIGURE 2 may be used to illustrate one example of the invention applied to a 2-high mill. Assuming that the work rolls 14 and 15 did not exist and that the backup rolls 16 and 17, in fact, were the work rolls of a Z-high mill, it will be observed that the feet 30 of the brackets 29 can be relocated adjacent to the center of the rolls thereby allowing sufficient space for the piston cylinder assemblies 31 to be brought between the feet.

While the present invention has been illustrated in connection with a 4-high mill, it will be appreciated that the features thereof can be just as conveniently incorporated in a 2-high mill and other forms of rolling mills as well as paper and rubber calenders and the like.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A rollin mill having a housing, a pair of rolls between which material to be processed is fed, first bearing chock assemblies mounted on the ends of the rolls, a force applying means arranged at each side of the mill common to the roll ends for imposing bending forces on the ends of the rolls, said force applying means adapted to abut against said first bearing chock assemblies but not otherwise connected thereto, first support means at one of said sides of the mill secured to said housing for carrying one of said force applying means whereby said force applying means can be selectively positioned adjacent to the ends of the rolls, which position will constitute the operative position and in a position remote from the adjacent position which will constitute an inoperative position of said one force applying means, and second support means at the other side of the mill secured to said housing for carrying the other force applying means.

2. A rolling mill according to claim 1, wherein said mill housing includes a pair of spaced-apart windows for receiving second bearing chock assemblies of a second pair of cooperative rolls which constitute processing rolls arranged to engage the material, said pair of first rolls arranged to function as backup rolls for said processing rolls, third bearing chock assemblies mounted in said windows for receiving said backup rolls, said backup rolls having portions extending outward of said third bearing chock assemblies onto which said first bearing chock assemblies are mounted.

3. A rolling mill according to claim 2, wherein each of said first bearing-chock assemblies of said backup rolls include spaced-apart, fiat surfaces which oppose similar surfaces of opposed chocks, said opposing surfaces of each opposed chock being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the processing rolls, said force applying means constituting a pair of piston cylinder assemblies for each opposed first bearing-chock assemblies, said piston cylinder assemblies in their operative positions being arranged between the opposed flat surfaces of the second bearing-chock assemblies.

4. A rolling mill according to claim 3, wherein said piston cylinder assemblies each include two opposed pistons and means for applying pressure to the opposed pistons in one direction.

5. A rolling mill according to claim 4, including means for moving one of the pistons of each cylinder into the cylinder thereof.

6. A rolling mill according to claim 5, wherein the means for moving the pistons includes a member secured to the end of the pistons, springs carried by the cylinders of the piston cylinder assemblies connected to the members for urging the pistons within the cylinders.

7. A rolling mill according to claim 3, comprising a pair of spaced-apart brackets carried by the housing on each side of the windows, a support extending between the brackets and pivotally carried thereby, means for connecting said piston cylinder assemblies to said supports so that when in their operative positions, the piston cylinder assemblies are within the window and between the op posed fiat surfaces of said first bearing-chock assemblies of the backup rolls, and when in their inoperative positions they pass clear of the windows.

8. A rolling mill according to claim 7, wherein each said piston cylinder assemblies having a pair of opposed pistons engageable with one of the first chocks and wherein said brackets and supports are constructed and arranged relative to the opposed pistons of the related piston cylinder assemblies that on application of pressure by the pistons, the brackets are free from any reaction forces.

9. A rolling mill according to claim 7, including means for each piston cylinder assembly carried by the housing and engageable with the support for preventing movement of the cylinders when in their operative and inoperative positions.

10. A rolling mill according to claim 7, including a fluid passageway formed in each of said supports communicating with intake ports formed in said cylinders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1956 Germany.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

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