Tool and method for changing the working roll in a rolling mill
AssigneeFives Dms
InventorConrad Ernst De La Graete
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for changing work roll in a rolling mill which limits the risk of scratching the work roll, or even the risk of scratching the metal strip, upon extracting or inserting the work roll, by virtue of a mechanical separation element, in particular of the branches of a fork system, inserted by a robotic element.
Claims25
A method for changing work rolls of a rolling mill in the presence of a metal strip to be rolled between both work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll, and wherein in a closing position of the roll stand configured to roll the metal strip, said work rolls each have a contact generatrix with the metal strip, the contact generatrices and the axes of the work rolls lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a running direction of the metal strip, rolling members, including first intermediate rolls being in contact along two contact generatrices between each of the work rolls and the rolling members, the rolling members ensuring transmission of a rolling force to the lower and upper work rolls in contact with the metal strip, the method comprising:
- extracting the work rolls from the roll stand after at least partially opening the roll stand for which the work rolls are spaced apart from each other with respect to the positions of the work rolls in the closing position of the roll stand by carrying out the following steps, for said upper and/or lower work roll:
- an insertion step a) comprising:
- robotically inserting mechanical separation means between said work roll and the metal strip to a separation position in which the metal strip and said work roll are physically separated along the length of the work roll, and up to ensuring removal of the contact between the work roll and the metal strip, and
- robotically inserting mechanical separation means between the work roll and the rolling members to a separation position in which said work roll and the rolling members are physically separated along the length of the work roll, until ensuring suppression of the contact between the work roll and the rolling members;
- a removal step b) comprising:
- robotically extracting said work roll, by gripping one end of said work roll and moving said work roll along its axis with respect to the metal strip and the rolling members present in the roll stand,
- wherein said mechanical separation means are:
- in said separation position in which the work roll and the metal strip are physically separated so as to avoid any friction between the work roll and the metal strip upon moving, and
- in said separation position in which the work roll and the rolling members are physically separated and so as to avoid any friction between the work roll and the rolling members upon moving, and
- wherein said mechanical separation means comprises:
- a fork system comprising two branches configured to be inserted in the stand of a rolling mill in a spaced apart position of the branches on either side of an upper work roll of the rolling mill, said branches being movable with respect to a fork support, said branches being configured to move from their spaced apart position to a close position in which the branches ensure lifting of the upper work roll by guaranteeing physical separation between the work roll and the metal strip upon extracting a work roll, and/or the fork system comprising both branches configured to be inserted in the stand of a rolling mill in their close position, said branches being movable with respect to a fork support, configured to move from their close position to their spaced apart position to cause deposition of the upper work roll from the metal strip;
- and
- a gripping device, comprising a gripper connected by an actuator to the fork support, configured to grip one end of the work roll and pull the work roll along the branches of the fork system.
A method for changing work rolls of a rolling mill in the presence of a metal strip to be rolled between both work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll, and wherein in a closing position of the roll stand configured to roll the metal strip, said work rolls each have a contact generatrix with the metal strip, the contact generatrices and the axes of the work rolls lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a running direction of the metal strip, rolling members such as first intermediate rolls being in contact along two contact generatrices between each of the work rolls and the rolling members, the rolling members ensuring transmission of a rolling force to the lower and upper work rolls in contact with the metal strip, the method comprising inserting the new or ground work rolls, into the roll stand is ensured in the presence of the metal strip and the rolling members, after at least partially opening the roll stand by the implementation of the following steps, for said upper and/or lower work roll:
- an insertion step a) comprising:
- robotically inserting mechanical separation means between the metal strip and the work roll to be inserted guaranteeing suppression of the contact between the work roll and the metal strip, and
- robotically inserting mechanical separation means between the rolling members and said work roll to be inserted guaranteeing suppression of the contact between the work roll and the rolling members;
- an insertion step b), concurrent or subsequent to the insertion step a) comprising robotically inserting said work roll, by pushing one end of said work roll and moving said work roll along its axis with respect to the metal strip and to the rolling members present in the roll stand, wherein said mechanical separation means are:
- in a separation position in which the work roll and the metal strip are physically separated so as to avoid any friction between the work roll and the metal strip upon moving, and
- in a separation position in which the work roll and the rolling members are physically separated and so as to avoid any friction between the work roll and the rolling members upon moving
- wherein said mechanical separation means comprises:
- a fork system comprising two branches configured to be inserted in the stand of a rolling mill in a spaced apart position of the branches on either side of an upper work roll of the rolling mill, said branches being movable with respect to a fork support, said branches being configured to move from their spaced apart position to a close position in which the branches ensure lifting of the upper work roll by guaranteeing physical separation between the work roll and the metal strip upon extracting a work roll, and/or the fork system comprising both branches configured to be inserted in the stand of a rolling mill in their close position, said branches being movable with respect to a fork support, configured to move from their close position to their spaced apart position to cause deposition of the upper work roll from the metal strip;
- and
- a gripping device, comprising a gripper connected by an actuator to the fork support, configured to grip one end of the work roll and pull the work roll along the branches of the fork system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.