Device for guiding metal strips with wear bodies in a finishing train

Abstract

A device for laterally guiding a metal strip (1, 13) running over a loop lifter (4, 12) between two roll stands (2, 3, 8, 9) of a finishing train. The device includes at least one main member module (14) extending in a direction between the roll stands. The module has a guiding plane (15), and also supports a number of wear members (18, 19, 20), each with a wear surface (21, 22, 23). Those wear members can be turned to a number of rotational positions. At least two wear members (18, 19, 20) are respectively arranged between one of the roll stands (2, 3, 8, 9) and the loop lifter, wherein, seen in the direction of the loop lifter (4, 12), the surface area of the wear surface (21, 22, 23) of adjacent wear member bodies (18, 19, 20) increases. During the operation of the device, at least one of the wear members is rotated while the metal strip (1, 13) is running to expose another area of the wear surface to the side of the strip.

Claims

1. A device for laterally guiding a metal strip that travels on different paths as the strip runs across a loop lifter; the device comprising: first and second roll stands spaced apart from each other and configured for directing the metal strip from the first roll stand and past the loop lifter to be guided on a path by the loop lifter and then to the second roll stand; the loop lifter is located between the roll stands and is configured to be height-adjustable to a topmost vertical position and a lower vertical position; the device comprising at least one main member module and the module having a substantially vertical guiding plane; the at least one main member module extending in a direction toward one of the roll stands and in a direction toward the loop lifter; a plurality of wear members are arrayed in a direction from one of the roll stands toward the loop lifter; each wear member is rotatable to a respective plurality of rotary positions thereof, each wear member having a wear face, wherein the wear faces of the wear members are substantially planar and are substantially parallel to the guiding plane of the main member module; at least two of the wear members are disposed at the at least one main member module and surface areas of the wear faces of neighboring ones of the wear members are of dissimilar sizes; with the loop lifter at the topmost vertical position, a path is defined for the metal strip that passes along each wear surface; and with the loop lifter at the lower vertical position, another path is defined for the metal strip that passes along each wear surface.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface areas of the wear faces of directly neighboring ones of the wear members in the main member module increases from one wear member to another wear member, when viewed in the direction of a longitudinal extent of the main member module and toward the loop lifter.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wear members are disposed such that each path of the strip leads across each of the wear faces on a path of the strip between the roll stands.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in all rotary positions of the wear members, the wear members are substantially parallel to the guiding plane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be described in an exemplary manner hereunder by means of schematic figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional device for laterally guiding a metal strip running across a loop lifter between two roll stands of a finishing train; and

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention as said device is in operation when installed in a finishing train according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(4) Exemplars

(5) FIG. 1 in a lateral view of a conventional device shows in fragments how a metal strip 1 runs in the direction indicated by an arrow runs across a loop lifter 4 between two roll stands 2, 3 of a finishing train in a conventional device. Plate-shaped wear strips 5a, 5b are present to the right and the left of the loop lifter 4 in order for the running metal strip 1 to be laterally guided. The loop lifter 4 is adjustable to various positions in height, which is illustrated by a double arrow. Depending on the position of the loop lifter, the metal strip 1 follows a different path from the roll gap 6 of the first roll stand 2 in the running direction of the strip into the roll gap 7 of the second roll stand 3 in the running direction of the strip. Only one path associated with the illustrated position of the loop lifter 4 is illustrated, but other paths of the loop lifter will occur as the loop lifter is adjusted vertically. The plate shaped wear strips are not rotatable.

(6) FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of a fragment of a finishing train according to the invention having an embodiment of a device according to the invention for lateral direction guiding of the metal strip, such as occurs when the device is installed in a finishing train according to the invention. A metal strip 13 runs on a respective different illustrated path 10 and 11 across a loop lifter 12 that is adjustable to various height positions between two roll stands 8, 9 of a finishing train. The running direction of the metal strip is from the roll stand 9 toward the roll stand 8 illustrated by an arrow.

(7) A main member module 14 has a substantially vertical guiding plane 15 for guiding the module 14 toward an edge of the metal strip. The main member module 14 is disposed between the loop lifter 12 and the last roll stand 8 when viewed in the running direction of the strip. The main member module extends in a direction toward the roll stand and in a direction toward the loop lifter.

(8) The loop lifter 12 across which the metal strip 13 runs can be set to various vertical positions. This is illustrated for two positions of the loop lifter roller by a solid outline 16 for one path and a dash outline 17 for the other path. The path 10 followed by the metal strip 13 across the topmost potential position of the loop lifter is illustrated with a solid lines. The path 11 followed across the lower potential position of the loop lifter is illustrated with a dashed line.

(9) The device also comprises three rotatable wear members 18, 19, that are each individually rotatable to a plurality of rotary positions. The wear members may be at the main member module and may rotate there. The axially inward facing wear faces 21, 22, 23 of the wear members 18, 19, 20 are substantially planar and, in all of the rotary positions of the wear members, the wear faces are parallel to the guiding plane 15 of the main member module 14. The wear members may be at the main member module and may rotate there. The three wear members 18, 19, 20 are disposed between the loop lifter 12 and the last roll stand 8, when viewed in the running direction of the strip. When viewed from the roll gap 24 at the roll stand 8 in the direction of the loop lifter 12, the surface areas of the wear faces 21, 22, 23 of neighboring wear members 18, 19, 20 increase since the diameters of the three round wear members 18, 19, 20 increase. In the embodiment illustrated, each path of the strip, when it is at a selected vertical position, leads across each wear face 21, 22, 23. All wear members 18, 19, 20 contribute to the lateral guiding of the strip independently of the spacings illustrated between the loop lifter roller and the pass line 25, which pass line is illustrated by a dashed line. The wear members 18, 19, 20 are rotated during the operation of the plant illustrated, as illustrated by curved arrows

(10) Different rotation directions of the wear members are possible, while the metal strip 13 is running and is guided by the wear members 18, 19, 20. Illustration of parts for lateral guiding that are optionally present between the loop lifter 12 and the roll stand 9 are not shown for clarity. This can, for example, be an assembly that is mirror-symmetrical in relation to the assembly illustrated.

(11) While the invention has been illustrated and described in more detail by way of the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed exemplars and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(12) 1 Metal strip

(13) 2 Roll stand

(14) 3 Roll stand

(15) 4 Loop lifter

(16) 5a, 5b Wear strips

(17) 6 Roll gap

(18) 7 Roll gap

(19) 8 Roll stand

(20) 9 Roll stand

(21) 10 Path

(22) 11 Path

(23) 12 Loop lifter

(24) 13 Metal strip

(25) 14 Main member module

(26) 15 Guiding plane

(27) 16 Outline of loop lifter roller

(28) 17 Outline of loop lifter roller

(29) 18 Wear member

(30) 19 Wear member

(31) 20 Wear member

(32) 21 Wear face

(33) 22 Wear face

(34) 23 Wear face

(35) 24 Roll gap

(36) 25 Pass line