A rolling mill of four-high or more is provided that includes: measurement apparatuses that adopt any one roll as a reference roll, and measure at least rolling direction forces acting on roll chocks on a work side and roll chocks on a drive side of each roll other than a backup roll; pressing apparatuses that press the roll chocks in the rolling direction; driving apparatuses that move the roll chocks in the rolling direction; and a position control unit that fixes a rolling direction position of the roll chocks of the reference roll as a reference position, and drives the driving apparatuses to control the positions in the rolling direction of the roll chocks based on a rolling direction force difference so that the rolling direction force difference of each roll is a value within an allowable range.

A rolling mill of four-high or more is provided that includes: measurement apparatuses that adopt any one roll as a reference roll, and measure at least rolling direction forces acting on roll chocks on a work side and roll chocks on a drive side of each roll other than a backup roll; pressing apparatuses that press the roll chocks in the rolling direction; driving apparatuses that move the roll chocks in the rolling direction; and a position control unit that fixes a rolling direction position of the roll chocks of the reference roll as a reference position, and drives the driving apparatuses to control the positions in the rolling direction of the roll chocks based on a rolling direction force difference so that the rolling direction force difference of each roll is a value within an allowable range.

A roll press rolls each including an upper roll and a lower roll that are supported by a main bearing at both ends and rotate at a predetermined speed, upper and lower bending bearings that are disposed outside each of the main bearings and correct deflection of the press rolls by receiving a bending load, an upper reverse operation bending mechanism provided in the upper roll that operates with hydraulic oil, a lower reverse operation bending mechanism provided in the lower roll, and two upper reverse operation bending mechanisms and two lower reverse operation bending mechanisms being installed in the upper and lower bending bearings, respectively. Deflection occurring in the upper roll and the lower roll is corrected by causing the upper reverse operation bending mechanism or the lower reverse operation bending mechanism to generate downward power or upward power, respectively.

A roll press rolls each including an upper roll and a lower roll that are supported by a main bearing at both ends and rotate at a predetermined speed, upper and lower bending bearings that are disposed outside each of the main bearings and correct deflection of the press rolls by receiving a bending load, an upper reverse operation bending mechanism provided in the upper roll that operates with hydraulic oil, a lower reverse operation bending mechanism provided in the lower roll, and two upper reverse operation bending mechanisms and two lower reverse operation bending mechanisms being installed in the upper and lower bending bearings, respectively. Deflection occurring in the upper roll and the lower roll is corrected by causing the upper reverse operation bending mechanism or the lower reverse operation bending mechanism to generate downward power or upward power, respectively.

An insertable fastener installation apparatus for a flat substrate has a thickness, T. A roller press station is used to press T-nuts into holes in the substrate. An optical vision system detects the location of the holes in the moving substrate and aligns the t-nuts with the holes. A computer controlled pick and place robot takes T-nuts from an escapement of a hopper feed system and aligns, but does not fully insert, the t-nuts in the substrate. A conveyor system feeds the substrates through the optical vision system, the pick and place robot station and the roller press station. A first roller is spaced apart from a second roller by a gap in the roller press station and the gap is less than the thickness of the substrate. The hopper feed system includes a bulk hopper, a bowl, a track and an escapement.

An insertable fastener installation apparatus for a flat substrate has a thickness, T. A roller press station is used to press T-nuts into holes in the substrate. An optical vision system detects the location of the holes in the moving substrate and aligns the t-nuts with the holes. A computer controlled pick and place robot takes T-nuts from an escapement of a hopper feed system and aligns, but does not fully insert, the t-nuts in the substrate. A conveyor system feeds the substrates through the optical vision system, the pick and place robot station and the roller press station. A first roller is spaced apart from a second roller by a gap in the roller press station and the gap is less than the thickness of the substrate. The hopper feed system includes a bulk hopper, a bowl, a track and an escapement.

A spray device lubricates and cools a strip and/or an air gap of a roller stand having multiple rollers. The spray device has a fixed spray table with an elongated shape and configured to be rigidly connected to a plurality of mounting plates in a row of bearing rollers of the roller stand. The fixed spray table includes a network for dispensing a fluid for lubricating and cooling via a plurality of nozzles, a connector for connecting the fluid-dispensing network to a network for supplying the fluid, and an attachment device for rigidly connecting the table to the mounting plates. In addition, a method for removing/inserting the spray device from/into the roller stand is described.

A spray device lubricates and cools a strip and/or an air gap of a roller stand having multiple rollers. The spray device has a fixed spray table with an elongated shape and configured to be rigidly connected to a plurality of mounting plates in a row of bearing rollers of the roller stand. The fixed spray table includes a network for dispensing a fluid for lubricating and cooling via a plurality of nozzles, a connector for connecting the fluid-dispensing network to a network for supplying the fluid, and an attachment device for rigidly connecting the table to the mounting plates. In addition, a method for removing/inserting the spray device from/into the roller stand is described.

A method for changing the configuration of a rolling mill of the six-high type in which the rolling mill is changed from a first configuration (C1) of a range of diameters of working cylinders (3, 4), keeping the chocks (E1, E2) by turning over the chocks (E2) of the intermediate cylinders (5, 6) and by turning over the chocks (E1) of the working cylinders. A rolling mill as such, suitable for implementing the method is also described.

A method for changing the configuration of a rolling mill of the six-high type in which the rolling mill is changed from a first configuration (C1) of a range of diameters of working cylinders (3, 4), keeping the chocks (E1, E2) by turning over the chocks (E2) of the intermediate cylinders (5, 6) and by turning over the chocks (E1) of the working cylinders. A rolling mill as such, suitable for implementing the method is also described.