Winding/unwinding device and method for winding/ unwinding a metal product in a rolling line

A winding/unwinding device for rolled products, the device being interposed between a rolling unit configured for reducing a thickness of the rolled products located upstream of the device and another rolling unit configured for reducing the thickness of the rolled products located downstream of the winding/unwinding device, the winding/unwinding device comprising:

• a heating furnace;
• and
• a support structure disposed outside the heating furnace, two winding/unwinding drums being assembled on the support structure in a substantially diametrically opposite position, the two winding/unwinding drums being positioned inside the heating furnace, the support structure comprising:
• a first selectively rotating disc connected to a first lateral cover of the heating furnace so that the first selectively rotating disc and the first lateral cover are rotatable together, and
• a second selectively rotating disc connected to a second lateral cover of the heating furnace so that the second selectively rotating disc and the second lateral cover are rotatable together,
• the first lateral cover and the second lateral cover are disposed at opposing sides of the heating furnace, and
• the first selectively rotating disc and the second selectively rotating disc are also disposed at the opposing sides of the heating furnace, and
• the first lateral cover and the second lateral cover are at opposing sides of both of the two winding/unwinding drums,
• alternatively disposing a first of the two winding/unwinding drums in a winding position or in an unwinding position, and a second of the two winding/unwinding drums consequently assuming an unwinding or winding position that is different from the winding position or unwinding position of the first of the two winding/unwinding drums,
• the first selectively rotating disc and the second selectively rotating disc engaged by movement devices, the movement devices each comprising a motor and a reduction unit, the reduction units being mechanically synchronized via a transmission shaft, and
• the motors being electrically synchronized.