Multi-row rolling mills, methods of operating these mills, and rolling equipment using the mills

A multi-row rolling mill having in one housing at least two groups of rolls, each group including at least one pair of work rolls, provided with a columnar support member between said roll groups, and constructed so that by one pass of a workpiece, the workpiece can be rolled by said respective work rolls, wherein the multi-row rolling mill is characterized by comprising a removal supporting means between said roll groups in said housing for facilitating removal of a work piece stopped between said roll groups said removal supporting means comprising:

• through-plate guides arranged along a workpiece traveling direction so that one end of one of said through-plate guides face the work roll of one of said roll groups and one end of the other through-plate guide faces the work roll of the other roll group, and disposed at a first position spaced a first distance from said respective work rolls, for guiding traveling of said work piece between said roll groups during rolling operation, and
• a unit for moving respective ones of said through-plate guides, from said first position to a second position to broaden a space for removal of said work piece,
• wherein said through-plate guides for guiding said workpiece each are mounted on said columnar support member at an end thereof opposite to said end facing said work roll, and
• wherein said unit being for independently moving said through-plate guides so that said end of at least one of said through-plate guides, facing said work roll, moves from said first position to said second position.