# US 5,937,688 A · Adjustable side guide with quick change strip heater assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,937,688 A - Document ID: US5937688A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 09/136,771 - Filed: 1998-08-19 - Granted: 1999-08-17 - Earliest claimed: 1998-08-19 - Assignees: SMS Engineering, Inc. - Inventors: Joseph V. Secen; Carmen M. Nicolella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5937688A ## CPC - F27D 99/0033: {using burners} - B21B 39/14: Guiding, positioning or aligning work (B21B43/12 takes precedence; guides in which work is subjected to permanent internal twisting B21B15/02) - B21B 45/004: {Heating the product} - C21D 1/52: with flames - C21D 9/0081: {for slabs; for billets} - F27D 3/0024: {of metallic workpieces} - B21B 45/008: {Heat shields} - C21D 2221/02: Edge parts - F27D 2099/006: {Auxiliary heating, e.g. in special conditions or at special times} - Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working - F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE - B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04) - C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A hot metallic workpiece is advanced between side guides extending along opposite lateral sides of a driven roller table for guiding the hot metallic workpiece to a hot mill. Each of the side guides takes the form of a beam section including an elongated horizontal workpiece guide joined to an elongated horizontal back section by web sections horizontally separated one from another and forming a plurality of utility pockets. The elongated horizontal guide has window openings at the pass line communicating with corresponding situated utility pockets each containing a burner to direct hot products of combustion toward the side of a workpiece while advance by the roller table toward a hot mill. A burner carrier supports a group of spaced apart burners with the burners of each group connected to discrete utility lines. A driven screw and stationary nut form a drive operative with each of the plurality of burner carriers to locate each group of burners in an operating position where the burners thereof are aligned with corresponding ones of the window openings to direct products of combustion from the burners for heating opposed lateral sides of a hot metallic workpiece while guided by the elongated horizontal guide and an inoperative position wherein the spaced apart burners of each group are at an elevated position above the window opening along the utility pockets for servicing of the burners of each of the group of burners. Telescoping guide assure unimpeded movement of the burner carrier between the operative and inoperative positions of the burner associated therewith. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus to direct and restore heat losses to a hot metallic workpiece while advanced by a driven roller table, said apparatus including: a beam section including an elongated horizontal guide extending along one side of a pass line for guiding a hot metallic workpiece, said beam section further including an elongated horizontal back section joined by web sections horizontally separated one from another by at least one utility pocket, said elongated horizontal guide having a window opening at said pass line communicating with said utility pocket; a burner carrier supporting at least one burner connected to utility lines; and a drive to selectively position said burner between an operative position wherein said burner is aligned with said window opening to direct products of combustion from said burner for heating a side edge of a hot metallic workpiece while guided by said elongated horizontal guide and an inoperative position wherein said burner is raised to an elevated position by said drive above said window opening along said utility pocket for servicing of said burner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive operatively interconnects said elongated horizontal back section and said burner carrier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive includes a screw and nut. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive includes an elongated screw rotatably supported by said burner carrier and a nut supported by said beam section for threaded engagement with said screw. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said web sections are horizontally spaced one from another and sufficient in number to form a plurality of utility pockets, the utility pockets being separated by a web section and wherein said elongated horizontal guide section has a plurality of window openings each at said pass line and communicating with one of said plurality of utility pockets and wherein said burner carrier supports a burner connected to utility lines for each of said plurality of burner pockets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5 further including wear plates supported by said horizontal guide section each extending between spaced apart utility pockets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further including guide bars slidable in guide sockets for guiding said burner carrier between said operative position and said inoperative position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guide bars depend downwardly from said burner carrier into cavities opening upwardly in upstanding projections from said web sections. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according claim 1 wherein said burner carrier includes a top wall extending between spaced apart front and rear side walls forming an elongated horizontal cavity, said front wall engaged for support by said horizontal guide section and said back wall engaged for support by said horizontal back section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said elongated horizontal cavity communicates with each of said utility pockets for supporting utility lines extending to each burner of said plurality of burners. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said rear side wall is connected to a power track assembly for supporting utility lines extending to said elongated horizontal cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said utility lines include conduit for supplying combustible gas, oxygen, air supply and return coolant water, and electrical ignition and flame monitor wiring. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further including releasable keepers for clamping said burner carrier to said beam section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a shield supported by said beam section for extending upwardly to said burner carrier when in said elevated position, said shield extending horizontally along said beam section for isolating burners when in said elevated position from a hot metallic workpiece. ### Claim 15 Apparatus to guide and restore heat losses to a hot metallic workpiece while advanced for a hot metal working operation, said apparatus including: side guides extending along opposite lateral sides of a driven roller table for guiding a hot metallic workpiece, each of said side guides being defined by a beam section including an elongated horizontal guide extending along one longitudinal side of a hot metallic workpiece, said beam section further including an elongated horizontal back section joined by web sections horizontally separated one from another by a plurality of utility pockets, said elongated horizontal guide having a window opening at said pass line communicating with each of said plurality of utility pockets; a drive for positioning said side guides adjacent opposite lateral sides of the hot metallic workpiece; a plurality of burner carriers each supporting a group of spaced apart burners with the burners of each group connected to discrete utility lines; and a drive to selectively position each of said plurality of burner carriers wherein the spaced apart burners of each group are aligned with corresponding ones of said window openings to direct products of combustion from said burners of each group for heating opposed lateral sides of a hot metallic workpiece while guided by said elongated horizontal guide and an inoperative position wherein said spaced apart burners of each group are raised to an elevated position by said drive above said window opening along said utility pockets for servicing of the burners of each of said group of burners. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according claim 15 wherein said plurality of burner carriers each include a top wall extending between spaced apart front and rear side walls forming an elongated horizontal cavity, said front wall engaged for support by a horizontal guide section and said back wall engaged for support by a horizontal back section of a beam section of one of said side guides. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said elongated horizontal cavity communicates with each of said utility pockets for supporting utility lines extending to said plurality of burners for a beam section of one of said side guides. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said rear side wall is connected to a power track assembly for supporting utility lines extending to said elongated horizontal cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said utility lines include conduit for supplying combustible gas, oxygen, air supply and return coolant water, and electrical ignition and flame monitor wiring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15 further including releasably keepers for clamping each of said plurality of burner carriers to one of said side guides. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15 further including a shield supported by said beam section for extending upwardly to sad burner carrier when in said elevated position, said shield extending horizontally along one of said plurality of said beam sections when in said elevated position for isolating said burners at said elevated position from a hot metallic workpiece. ### Claim 22 A method for guiding and restoring heat losses in a hot metallic workpiece while advanced for a hot metal working operation, said method including the steps of: advancing a first hot metallic workpiece to an entrance between opposed side guides at an entry end of finishing a hot rolling mill; positioning the side guides in such close proximity to the opposed edges of the first workpiece to allow combustion products emitting from a plurality of burners exposed by window openings in each of said side guides to heat opposed side edges of the first hot metallic workpiece for offsetting heat losses from the opposed side edges before rolling in said hot rolling mill; processing the first hot metallic workpiece in said hot rolling mill; lifting a select group of burners along utility pockets in the associated side guide from the window openings therein for servicing the resulting elevated group of burners; advancing a second hot metallic workpiece to the entrance between the opposed side guides for processing in said hot rolling mill; heating opposed side edges of the second hot metallic workpiece by locating the side guides in such close proximity to the opposed edges of the second workpiece to cause combustion products emitting from said plurality of burners exposed by window openings in said side guides, except those burners comprising said select group of burners, to offset heat losses before rolling in said hot rolling mill; and lowering said select group of burners in the utility pockets in the associated side guide to register with the window openings therein for causing combustion products toward a side edge of the hot metallic workpiece. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 wherein after said step of lifting a select group of burners the method further including the step of installing a protective shield between said side guide and the selected group of burners to isolate the selected group from said second hot metallic workpiece, servicing the selected group of burners, and uninstalling said protective shield before said step of lowering the selected group of burners. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22 including the further step of supporting said select group of burners on a carrier to form a top closure to the utility pockets in the side guide after said step of lowering the select group of burners.