US3731512A

US3731512A - Rolling mill cutting apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: US3731512A
Application number: US00141153A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Vogel; K Edwards
Original assignee: Essex International Inc
Current assignee: Essex International Inc
Priority date: 1971-05-07
Filing date: 1971-05-07
Publication date: 1973-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-08

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selectively cutting a continuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mill. The cast metal bar is fed from a continuous casting wheel through a pair of rollers for a first reduction in its cross-sectional area. Rotating helical cutters are located immediately after the first set of rollers for cutting the cast metal bar at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of the bar, so as to provide a substantially pointed leading edge for the cast metal bar. Immediately following the rotating cutters, a second set of rollers are provided for a second reduction in the crosssectional area of the cast metal bar. The cutters are selectively activated for severing or cutting the bar when desired.

Description

3 u w 5 1 1 3 8 7, M. 3 M H .J U H 1,544,565 7/1925 Edwards 3,552,161 1/1971 Garbe eta1..... 3,020,788

[541 ROLLING MILL CUTTING APPARATUS AND METHOD [75] Inventors: Ralph A. Vogel,

m e t 6 Di Three Rivers, Mich.; Kenneth F. Edwards, Lancaster, Ohio Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr Attorney-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: Essex International, Inc., Fort Wayne, lnd.

[22] Filed: May 7, 1971 A method and apparatus for selectively cutting a con- [211 AppL No: 141,153 tinuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mil1. The cast metal bar 18 fed from a continuous casting wheel through a pair of rollers for a first reduction in its U 5 Cl cross-sectional area. Rotating helical cutters are 6 located immediately after the first set of rollers for [51] Int. Cl. .....B2lb 1/00 .72/203, 4, 5;

cutting the cast metal bar at an acute angle relative to Field of Search...............................

the central longitudinal axis of the bar, so as to pro- 83/342, 345, 285; 164/76 vide a substantially pointed leading edge for the cast metal bar. Immediately following the rotating cutters,

[56] References Cited a second set of rollers are provided for a second reduction in the cross-sectional area of the cast metal bar. The cutters are selectively activated for severing UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,538,726 11/1970 2,172,359 9/1939 Campbell........... 2,698,467 1/1955 Tarquinee et 5 m. o O

a l 0 O 2 N m 4 2 z 5 2 0 l \l O O J 2 2 Patented May 8, 1973 3,731,512

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 jrzz/nzorsx 15. 05071 M Vogel ROLLING MILL CIITTING APPARATUS AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART This invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively cutting a continuously cast metal bar, such as copper bar or an aluminum bar, in a rolling mill.

In the continuous casting and rolling of cast metal bars, such as in the manufacture of copper rod or aluminum rod, the metal is cast continuously, such as by using a continuously rotating casting wheel. A chamber is provided in the casting wheel by a peripheral groove in the wheel and a metal belt covering the groove. The hot molten metal is poured into this casting chamber and the hot metal is cooled as the wheel rotates so that a solid metal bar is formed therein. The metal bar, in the solid state, is soft and malleable because it remains in a heated condition; The hot metal bar is then directed to a rolling mill where a series of rollers reduce the cross-sectional area of the rod in various stages until a rod of a desired cross-sectional area and shape is attained.

After the formation of the metal bar and as the bar is moving through the rolling mill, for various reasons, it is necessary to cut the bar. For example, in the continuous casting and rolling operation process, it'is common for the early portions of the continuous cast metal bar to be unsatisfactory for formation into cast rod. Thus, the bar is cut and the cut pieces are recycled or scrapped. Also, if there is a malfunction during any portion of the casting or rolling operation, it is necessary to stop the operation and the metal bar may then be severed. If there is a malfunction in the casting wheel, for example, and it must be stopped, it is desireable to initiate cutting so that the metal in the mill can be rolled through. This is to avoid leaving a cold reduction sequence in the mill, which is difficult to remove. On the other hand, if a malfunction occurs in the mill, for example, a cobble, but the casting operation is operating well, cutting is initiated to allow the casting and first reduction to continue while the downstream rolling mill problem is cleared up. Once the problem has been cleared, and the mill is operating, the cutting is stopped and rolling proceeds.

Such severing or cutting of the cast metal bar usually takes place while the bar is moving. It is common to position these cutters between the first and second set of reducing rollers in the rolling mill. Cutters known to be used are of the guillotine type and are mounted on a traveling frame movable at the same speed as the bar. The purpose of this is to cut the traveling bar without either retarding its movement or moving faster than the traveling bar. The structure of these cutters is rather complex, and conventionally, the traveling frame is moved by an air cylinder which is designed to move the cutters longitudinally of and at the same linear speed as the metal bar. Furthermore, it has been conventional to provide guide rollers or pinch rollers after the cutting operation is performed so that the leading cut edge can be properly guided into the next set of reducing rollers. These pinch rollers were considered necessary because the guillotine type cutter created a relatively blunt leading edge.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for cutting a cast metal bar, particularly in a continuous casting and rolling process, wherein the apparatus is simple in construction and yet highly effective in operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for severing a continuous cast metal bar wherein the leading edge of the bar is cut to define a pointed end so that it can be readily fed directly to the next set of reducing rollers without the necessity of interposing any guide or feed rollers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for cutting the continuous cast metal bar in a continuous casting and rolling process wherein the cutters comprise rotating helical cutters having substantially the same peripheral speed as the linear speed of the cast metal bar.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved cutting apparatus for .a cast metal bar in a continuous casting and rolling process wherein the cast metal bar is severed by rotating helical cutters which cut the bar at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bar so a leading pointed edge is provided for feeding into the next reducing rollers.

Further purposes and objects of this invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing an apparatus and method for rolling and selectively cutting a continuous cast metal bar in a rolling mill wherein a first set of reducing rollers mounted in the mill reduces the cross-sectional area of the metal bar to a first cross-sectional area, a second set of rollers mounted in the mill reduce the cross-sectional area of the cast metal bar to a second cross-sectional area, and helical rotating cutters are provided in the mill for cutting the cast metal bar to define a pointed leading edge on the metal bar, the cutters being interposed between the first and second sets of rollers, and control means are provided for selectively activating the rotating helical cutters so that the bar is cut at a selected time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, one particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated wherein:

FIG. I is a schematic, side-elevational view of a continuous casting wheel and rolling mill, wherein our improved cutting apparatus is provided;

FIG. 2 is a detailed side elevational view of the cutting portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational, partially sectioned view of the cutting apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of a cam arrangement provided for controlling the operation of the cutters;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and 1 FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cut made by the cutters on a bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the rolling mill, generally 10, in which my improved cutting apparatus, generally 12, is used, is schematically shown. The rolling mill lis shown in association with continuous casting apparatus, generally 14.

The casting apparatus 14 is a conventional construction and includes a casting wheel 16 having a circumferential peripheral groove 17 therein. The casting wheel 16 has the groove 17 enclosed by a continuous belt 18. The groove 17 in the casting wheel 16 enclosed by the belt 18 defines a casting chamber. The casting wheel 16 is rotated about a horizontal axis 20 and is rotatable in a vertical plane. The hot molten metal is poured from, for example, a spout 22. The hot molten metal, such as copper or aluminum, is poured into the continuous casting chamber formed in the casting wheel 16. The wheel 16 is rotated and the hot molten metal is cooled within the continuous casting chamber, as by a water spray, so as to solidify the bar 24. The bar 24 passes from the casting chamber, and is directed to the rolling mill 10, as by the use of guide rollers 25. In passing from the casting wheel 14, to the rolling mill 10, the metal bar 24 is in a heated, solid and malleable condition, between the casting apparatus and the rolling mill 10. I

The rolling mill section generally includes a frame 26 which operatively carries a first set of reducing rollers 28 and the cutting apparatus 12 immediately following the first set of reducing rollers 28. These rollers provide a flattened or horizontally elongated cross-section for the bar 24, which shape facilitates cutting by the

rotary cutters

77 and 78. A second set of reducing rollers 30 is mounted on a mill section 11 following the cutting apparatus 12. The rollers 30 comprise the first operating members following the cutting apparatus 14, although a guide trough 32 is desirably interposed between the cutting rollers 12 and the second set of reducing rollers 30. The guide trough 32 is secured to a portable support 34 carried on the frame 26. The guide trough 32 is pivotally adjusted by a drive assembly 33 so as to feed the bar 24 to a position between the second set of reducing rollers 30. It is also desirable to provide spaced upper and lower spaced guide rollers 38 at the end portion of the frame 26 for properly guiding the moving cast metal bar 24 in between the first set of reducing rollers 28.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the cutting assembly 12 is mounted in a rolling mill frame 26. An upper cutter shaft 40 and a lower cutter shaft 42 are rotatably mounted within the upright support plate 44 of the rolling mill frame 26.

Bearings

46 and 48 are fixed in the support plate 44 and rotatably receive the rearwardly extending

rotating cutter shafts

40 and 42. Each of the

shafts

40 and 42 are rotatably received within bearings 50 and 52 in a support plate 54 spaced from the front plate 44. Intermeshing spur gears 56 and 58 are mounted on the upper shaft 40 and lower shaft 42, respectively, in the space intermediate the

cutter support plates

44 and 54. The gears 56 and 58 are rigidly secured to the

shafts

40 and 42 and rotate at the same rotational speed in opposite directions. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper roller 77 rotates clockwise and the lower roller 78 rotates counterclockwise at a peripheral speed equal to that of the cast bar.

The lower cutter shaft 42 is operatively connected to a gear reducer 60. The gear reducer 60 in turn, has a shaft 61 which has a pulley 62 fixedly secured thereto. The pulley 62 engages belt 63 which also engages a pulley 64 on a drive shaft 65 of a clutch 66 which is operatively connected to a drive shaft, in axial alignment with the clutch shaft 66, of a drive motor 67. A pulley 68 is mounted on the end of the motor drive shaft and engages a belt 69. The belt 69 also engages a pulley 70 On the shaft 71 of a gear reducer 72, having an output shaft 73 which operates the first set of reducing rollers 28.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a cam 74 is fixedly mounted on the lower cutter shaft 42. A cam follower 75 rides on the cam 74 and is connected to a guided and slidable cam rod 76. The purpose of the cam arrangement is to position the

cutters

77 and 78 at one selected stop position so that the cast metal bar 24 passes freely between the

cutters

77 and 78 when the cutters are inoperative. A switch (not shown) activates the electrically activated clutch 66 to cause one revolution to be imparted to the

cutters

77 and 78. When the high portion of the cam 74 returns to the start position, shown in FIG. 4, the cam rod 76 operates the stop switch 79 to disengage the clutch 66 from the drive motor 67. This mechanism thus assures that the

cutters

77 and 78 stop at only one position to permit continuous passage of the cast metal bar.

As seen best in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5,

cutters

77 and 78 have helical interengaging outer peripheries which effectively define interengaging cutting or knife edges. When the

cutters

77 and 78 are rotated in the directions described with the metal bar 24 passing therebetween, these cutting surfaces and 151 sever the bar 24 so as to define a pointed leading edge 82, as shown in FIG. 6, for the bar 24 since these helical cutters cut the bar at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bar 24. Such helical rotating cutters are known and are similar to those shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,172,359 and 3,095,774.

In practicing our method for cutting the cast metal bar at a selected time, the elongated continuous metal bar 24 is directed to the rolling mill 10 from the casting apparatus 14 and specifically from the casting wheel 16. Upon passing from the casting wheel 16, the metal bar 24 is in a heated and malleable condition so that it may be reduced in cross-sectional area, by the first set of reducing rollers 28 in the rolling mill section 10.

At the start of the rolling and casting operation, the portions of the bar 24 which are initially formed are often unsatisfactory and, are not used, but merely recycled or scrapped. The bar 24 is guided by the guide rollers 38 which feed the bar 24 to the first set of reducing rollers 28. These rollers reduce the cross-sectional area to a first cross-sectional area and shape. The bar 24 is then normally passed between the upper and

lower cutters

77 and 78, while in their inoperative position, so that the bar 24 passes therebetween. The bar 24, after the first reduction, is dimensioned so as to pass between the cutter peripheries, in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and'3. After passing between the

inoperative cutters

77 and 78, the bar 24 continues to the second set of reducing rollers 30 in the mill section 11 for a second reduction. Any desired number of reducing rollers are positioned beyond the second set of rollers. For example, eight sets of reducing rollers may be utilized in the following mill sections to produce a rod of desired cross-sectional area and shape.

When it is desired to cut the bar 24 for any reason, such as for scrapping or recycling an improperly formed bar, or when there is a problem in the production line, the operator operates the switch (not shown) which engages the clutch 66. The clutch remains engaged to rotate the

cutters

77 and 78 through the reducer 60, until the cam 74 has completed one revolution to operate the switch 79, thereby stopping cutter rotation at the desired inoperative position. The

cutters

77 and 78 rotate in the same linear direction and at the same peripheral speed as the bar 24 so that the bar 24 passing therebetween is neither speeded up nor retarded in movement by the cutters. It is important that the

helical cutters

77 and 78 cut the bar 24 with a pointed leading edge 80. in this way, the cut leading edge 80 is readily directed into the second set of reducing rollers 30. Normally, the drive shaft 42 rotates one revolution, and when the cam 74 reaches its high point, the cut off switch 79 operates to disengage the clutch 66. Alternatively, the start up switch (not shown) may be put into a continuous operating position, to normally by-pass the switch 79, so that the

cutters

77 and 78 continue to rotate and cut the bar into successive short sections substantially equal in length to the circumference of the

cutters

77 and 78.

While in the foregoing, there has been provided a detailed description of a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that all equivalents obvious to'those having skill in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. Apparatus for rolling and selectively cutting a continuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mill, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame, a first set of rollers mounted on said frame for reducing said cast metal bar to a first cross-sectional area and shape,

a second set of rollers mounted on said frame for reducing said cast metal bar to a second cross-sectional area and shape, a pair of cutters positioned intermediate said first and second set of rollers and having cooperating helical cutting edges for cutting said cast metal bar to define a pointed leading edge on said metal bar for facilitating feeding of said bar into said second set of rollers, said cutters having an operative condition and an inoperative condition, said cutters being spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the passage of said bar therebetween when said cutt'ers are in the inoperative position, and means for rotating said cutters for cutting said bar only at: a selected time when said cutters are in the operative condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rollers, said cutters, and said second set of rollers are in substantially direct alignment with each other and said cutters are rotated at a speed and direction substantially the same as the linear speed and direction as said cast metal bar.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for positioning said cutters at said inoperative condition for permitting said bar to pass between said cutters,

A method for selectively cutting a continuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mill, having first and second sets of reducing rollers, said method comprising the steps of feeding a continuous cast metal bar into said first set of reducing rollers, reducing said cast metal bar to a first cross-sectional area and shape with said first set of reducing rollers, selectively cutting said reduced cast metal bar at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said bar for defining a substantially pointed leading edge for said cast metal bar, and immediately thereafter feeding said pointed leading edge into said second set of reducing rollers for reducing said cast metal bat to a second cross-sectional area and shape, said pointed leading edge facilitating said feeding of said bar into said second set of rollers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting step includes providing interengaging rotating helical cutters, and rotating said helical cutters at the same peripheral speed and direction as the linear speed and direction of said cast metal bar.

Claims

1. Apparatus for rolling and selectively cutting a continuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mill, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame, a first set of rollers mounted on said frame for reducing said cast metal bar to a first cross-sectional area and shape, a second set of rollers mounted on said frame for reducing said cast metal bar to a second crosssectional area and shape, a pair of cutters positioned intermediate said first and second set of rollers and having cooperating helical cutting edges for cutting said cast metal bar to define a pointed leading edge on said metal bar for facilitating feeding of said bar into said second set of rollers, said cutters having an operative condition and an inoperative condition, said cutters being spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the passage of said bar therebetween when said cutters are in the inoperative position, and means for rotating said cutters for cutting said bar only at a selected time when said cutters are in the operative condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for positioning said cutters at said inoperative condition for permitting said bar to pass between said cutters.

4. A method for selectively cutting a continuously moving cast metal bar in a rolling mill, having first and second sets of reducing rollers, said method comprising the steps of feeding a continuous cast metal bar into said first set of reducing rollers, reducing said cast metal bar to a first cross-sectional area and shape with said first set of reducing rollers, selectively cutting said reduced cast metal bar at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said bar for defining a substantially pointed leading edge for said cast metal bar, and immediately thereafter feeding said pointed leading edge into said second set of reducing rollers for reducing said cast metal bat to a second cross-sectional area and shape, said pointed leading edge facilitating said feeding of said bar into said second set of rollers.