US 5,295,379 A · Vertical piercer mill

Abstract

A vertical piercer/elongator mill includes a mill housing having a base, an open top and an open interior defined by a plurality of vertically extending mill posts and interconnecting side portions. A cylindrically shaped bottom cradle supports a rotatable bottom roll and is fitted in the mill housing through the open top thereof to assume an operable position within the open interior of the housing. A cylindrically shaped top cradle supports a rotatable top roll and is also received within the open interior of the mill housing through the open top of the housing. Vertical adjustment apparatus in the form of screw jacks and balance cylinders are associated with the upper and lower cradles to provide vertical movement of the cradles within the mill housing to establish a selected rolling gorge. Hydraulically actuated feed angle adjustment devices are associated with the top and bottom cradles and mill housing to provide controlled rotative movement of the top and bottom cradles about a vertical axis to establish a selected feed angle between the top and bottom rolls. Hydraulic clamps are also associated with the mill housing to fixedly secure the top and bottom roll cradles within the open interior of the mill housing. Motorized guide shoes are provided on the mill housing on opposite sides of the pass line and permit quick guide shoe changes. The mill housing further includes an adjustable bar steadier to provide support for a piercer bar during startup and for subsequent shell support. A spindle support apparatus is also provided for ease in roll spindle coupling.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A vertical piercer/elongator mill for the manufacture of seamless tubing, comprising:

a mill housing having an open interior and an open top, defined by a plurality of vertically extending mill posts;
a bottom roll cradle having a bottom roll rotatably supported therein, said bottom roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
a top roll cradle having a top roll rotatably supported therein, said top roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
feed angle adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for rotatively moving the roll cradles to establish a selected feed angle between the top and bottom rolls;
roll gorge adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for vertically moving the roll cradles to establish a selected roll gorge spacing between the top and bottom rolls;
and
clamping means associated with the mill housing to fixedly secure said top and bottom roll cradles within the mill housing when the selected feed angle and roll spacing have been established.

4 more elements

A vertical piercer/elongator mill for the manufacture of seamless tubing, comprising:

a mill housing having an open interior and an open top, defined by a plurality of vertically extending mill posts;
a bottom roll cradle having a bottom roll rotatably supported therein, said bottom roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
a top roll cradle having a top roll rotatably supported therein, said top roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
feed angle adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for rotatively moving the roll cradles to establish a selected feed angle between the top and bottom rolls;
roll gorge adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for vertically moving the roll cradles to establish a selected roll gorge spacing between the top and bottom rolls;
clamping means associated with the mill housing to fixedly secure said top and bottom roll cradles within the mill housing when the selected feed angle and roll spacing have been established;
and
guide shoe means positioned on opposed sides of the rolls to support a rotating workpiece along a pass line defined by said rolls.

5 more elements

A vertical piercer/elongator mill for the manufacture of seamless tubing, comprising:

a mill housing having an open interior and an open top, defined by a plurality of vertically extending mill posts;
a bottom roll cradle having a bottom roll rotatably supported therein, said bottom roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
a top roll cradle having a top roll rotatably supported therein, said top roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
feed angle adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for rotatively moving the roll cradles to establish a selected feed angle between the top and bottom rolls;
roll gorge adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for vertically moving the roll cradles to establish a selected roll gorge spacing between the top and bottom rolls;
clamping means associated with the mill housing to fixedly secure said top and bottom roll cradles within the mill housing when the selected feed angle and roll spacing have been established;
guide shoe means positioned on opposed sides of the rolls to support a rotating workpiece along a pass line defined by said rolls;
and
bar support means attached to the mill housing on an exit end of said mill housing adapted to rotatably support a mandrel bar and pierced shell exiting said mill.

6 more elements

A vertical piercer/elongator mill for the manufacture of seamless tubing, comprising:

a mill housing having an open interior and an open top, defined by a plurality of vertically extending mill posts;
a bottom roll cradle having a bottom roll rotatably supported therein, said bottom roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
a top roll cradle having a top roll rotatably supported therein, said top roll cradle adapted to be operably positioned within the interior of the mill housing through the open top thereof;
feed angle adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for rotatively moving the roll cradles to establish a selected feed angle between the top and bottom rolls;
roll gorge adjustment means associated with the mill housing and the top and bottom roll cradles for vertically moving the roll cradles to establish a selected roll gorge spacing between the top and bottom rolls;
clamping means associated with the mill housing to fixedly secure said top and bottom roll cradles within the mill housing when the selected feed angle and roll spacing have been established;
guide shoe means positioned on opposed sides of the rolls to support a rotating workpiece along a pass line defined by said rolls;
bar support means attached to the mill housing on an exit end of said mill housing adapted to rotatably support a mandrel bar and pierced shell exiting said mill;
and
wherein the mill includes top and bottom drive spindles for driving the top and bottom rolls, respectively, said mill further including a spindle manipulation device associated with each of the drive spindles, said spindle manipulation device including means for detachably gripping said respective spindle and means for moving said spindle in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction toward and away from said mill to permit attachment and detachment of the respective drive spindles to the top and bottom rolls.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vertical piercer mill

Life of this patent

Vertical piercer mill

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21