Reversing reel and method of operating a reversing reel

Abstract

A reversing reel includes a rotor, on which a reel mandrel with a rotary drive for winding strip into a coil is eccentrically arranged. A driven mandrel support device includes a mandrel support that has a bearing head for supporting a free end of the reel mandrel. The bearing head is movable with the reel mandrel when the reel mandrel is transferred from an initial-winding position into a final-winding position. The mandrel support is a first piston-cylinder arrangement, and the mandrel support is supported in a pivotable manner via a mandrel-support bearing on a slide that is movable tangentially to a circular path of the reel mandrel. The inclination of the mandrel support and the position of the bearing head are adjustable such that the mandrel support is oriented in accordance with a resultant force from the weight force of the coil and the tensile force on the strip.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A reversing reel (1), comprising: a rotor (2); a reel mandrel (3), provided with a rotary drive, for winding strip (9) into a coil (8), the reel mandrel (3) being arranged on the rotor (2) eccentrically with respect to an axis of rotation (D) of the rotor (2); and a driven mandrel support device (4) having a mandrel support (5) that has a bearing head (6) for supporting a free end of the reel mandrel (3), wherein the bearing head (6) is movable with the reel mandrel (3), in accordance with a variable position of the reel mandrel (3), when the reel mandrel (3) is transferred from an initial-winding position (A) into a final-winding position (F), wherein the mandrel support (5) is a first piston-cylinder arrangement (7) and the mandrel support (5) is supported in a pivotable manner via a mandrel-support bearing (11) on a slide (13) that is movable tangentially to a circular path of the reel mandrel (3), and wherein an inclination of the mandrel support (5) and a position of the bearing head (6) are adjustable such that the mandrel support (5) is oriented in accordance with a resultant force R from a weight force of the coil (8) and a tensile force on the strip (9).

16. The reversing reel according to claim 15, further comprising an adjusting device fastened on the slide (13) for adjusted the inclination of the mandrel support (5).

17. The reversing reel according to claim 15, further comprising a second piston-cylinder arrangement (10) as an adjusting device for adjusting the inclination of the mandrel support (5).

18. The reversing reel according to claim 15, further comprising a hydraulic or electric rotary drive as an adjusting device for adjusting the inclination of the mandrel support (5)

19. The reversing reel according to claim 15, wherein the slide (13) is displaceable tangentially to the axis of rotation (D) of the rotor (2) via a third piston-cylinder arrangement (14).

20. The reversing reel according to claim 15, further comprising a closed-loop control system with which the mandrel support device (4) is controlled in such a manner that the mandrel support (5) follows a circular path of the reel mandrel (3) over at least a partial circular section during a winding process.

21. A method for winding a metal strip into a coil (8), comprising: providing a reversing reel with a rotor (2), the rotor (2) having a reel mandrel (3), provided with a rotary drive, for winding the metal strip (9) arranged eccentrically with respect to an axis of rotation (D) of the rotor (2), and a driven mandrel support device (4), comprising a mandrel support (5) that has a bearing head (6) for supporting a free end of the reel mandrel (3); rotating the rotor (2) to transfer reel mandrel (3) while being initially empty to an initial-winding position (A); supporting a free end of the reel mandrel (3) with the bearing head (6) of the mandrel support (5); lifting the free end of the reel mandrel (3) with the mandrel support (5); initially winding the metal strip (9) in the initial-winding position (A); rotating the rotor (2) to transfer the reel mandrel (3) with an initially wound-on coil (8) into a final-winding position (F), wherein the mandrel support (5) is tracked during a rotation of the rotor (2) from the initial-winding position (A) into the final-winding position (F) in such a manner that the bearing head (6) remains in load-bearing engagement with the free end of the mandrel support (5); and supporting the reel mandrel by a stationary outer bearing and final winding the metal strip (9), wherein an adjustment of an inclination of the mandrel support (5) before and/or during the initial winding and/or during the transfer of the reel mandrel (3) into the final-winding position (F) is effected in such a manner that an angle between the mandrel support (5) and a perpendicular essentially corresponds to an angle between a resultant force (R) from a strip tensile force (BZ) and weight force (G) of the coil (8).

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the adjustment of the inclination of the mandrel support (5) takes place during the rotation of the rotor (2) from the initial-winding position (A) into a final-winding position (F).

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the tracking of the mandrel support (5) is performed at least partially by superimposing a linear movement of the mandrel support device (4) with a pivoting movement of the mandrel support (5).

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the free end of the reel mandrel (3) is supported as a function of the weight force (G) of the coil (8) and/or the strip tensile force.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the load support of the mandrel support (5) is measured in engagement with the free end of the reel mandrel (3) and wherein the support force (S) of the mandrel support (5) is controlled such that compensation is provided for its lowering caused by weight force (G) and strip tensile force (BZ).

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the supporting force (S) acting on the mandrel support (3) is used as an input variable of an actuator in a control loop.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the supporting force (S) acting on the mandrel support (3) is used as input variable of an actuator in a control loop provided for controlling a flatness of the metal strip (9).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show the following:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a reversing reel.

[0037] FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed view II from FIG. 1, in which the forces acting on the reel mandrel are shown.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a control diagram, in which the deflection of the reel mandrel is shown as an actuator in a separate closed-loop control system.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a control diagram, in which the deflection of the reel mandrel is shown as an actuator of a flatness control for the strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a highly simplified and schematized representation of a reversing reel 1. The reversing reel comprises a rotor 2, which can be formed as a rotating disk, for example, to which two reel mandrels 3 are fastened eccentrically with respect to an axis of rotation D of the rotor 2. The two reel mandrels 3 extend in a manner perpendicular to the plane of the rotor 2 and are each rotatably driven.

[0041] The reversing reel 1 comprises a mandrel support device 4 with a mandrel support 5, at the free end of which is a bearing head 6 formed in a fork shape. The mandrel support 5 is part of a first piston-cylinder arrangement 7, which can be adjusted longitudinally by hydraulics. In the position of the rotor 2 shown, the lower reel mandrel 3 is in the initial-winding position A and the upper reel mandrel 3 is shown in the final-winding position F. The reel mandrel 3 located in the initial-winding position A is empty. Furthermore, the drawing shows the supported position of the reel mandrel 3′ in operation as an intermediate position Z from an initial-winding position A into the final-winding position F. The coil 8′ shown in the intermediate position Z is already wound on. The reel mandrel 3, which is in the final-winding position F, is loaded with a final-wound coil 8, wherein the coil 8 in the final-winding position F is indicated as a dashed line. The intermediate position Z shows an arbitrary position of the reel mandrel 3 with an arbitrarily wound strip 9 during its transfer from the initial-winding position A into the final-winding position F. The intermediate position Z is not a discrete position of the rotor 2.

[0042] The mandrel support 5 is adjustable in its inclination by means of a second piston-cylinder arrangement 10. The mandrel support 5 is mounted via a mandrel-support bearing 11 on a slide 13 that can be moved horizontally and on a flat support 12. The slide 13 is in turn driven or movable, as the case may be, by means of a third piston-cylinder arrangement 14. By means of a superimposed movement of the slide 13, which is movable tangentially to the axis of rotation D of the rotor 2, and the angular adjustment of the mandrel support 5, which is effected via the second piston-cylinder arrangement 10, which mandrel support is in turn formed as a first piston-cylinder arrangement 7 adjustable in length, the bearing head 6 of the mandrel support 5 in engagement with the reel mandrel 3 in operation can follow the circular path of the reel mandrel mounted eccentrically on the rotor 2 from the initial-winding position A via the intermediate position Z into the final-winding position F, wherein, as already noted above, the intermediate position Z is only drawn for reasons of clarity. This intermediate position Z is not a discrete position of the rotor 2.

[0043] In the initial-winding position A, the reel mandrel 3 is initially raised, then the strip 9 is wound onto the reel mandrel 3. After about one to three windings, the rotary motion of the rotor 2 is started. The rotor 2 rotates the reel mandrel 3 when it is in operation, while it continues to wind the strip 9 into the final-winding position F. In the final-winding position F, a stationary outer bearing is pivoted against the reel mandrel 3, such that it engages under the reel mandrel 3. The stationary outer bearing is not shown in the drawings. The bearing head 6 of the mandrel support 5 is formed in a fork shape and engages under the reel mandrel only on a partial circle section of its circumference. A bearing head of the stationary outer bearing is formed accordingly and also engages under the reel mandrel 3 only on a partial circle circumference, in such a manner that, initially in the final-winding position F, the reel mandrel 3 is engaged under on the same length section both by the bearing head of the stationary outer bearing and by the bearing head 6 of the mandrel support 5. As soon as the reel mandrel is supported on the stationary outer bearing, the bearing head 6 of the mandrel support 5 is disengaged from the reel mandrel 3, such that the mandrel support device can be returned to its starting position.

[0044] The first, second and third piston-cylinder arrangements 7, 10 and 13 are each provided with force and/or displacement sensors. Alternatively or additionally, the first piston-cylinder arrangement 7 can be provided with an angle sensor/inclinometer/inclination sensor.

[0045] The mandrel support 5, which is already brought into engagement with the free end of the reel mandrel 3 in the initial-winding position A, is provided to travel along with or follow, as the case may be, the rotor 2 in support of the reel mandrel 3 in operation with a corresponding rotation of the rotor 2. Initially, the mandrel support 5 already raises the empty reel mandrel 3 into the initial-winding position A, in such a manner that compensation is provided for any undesirable deflection or bending, as the case may be.

[0046] Different variants are possible for controlling the position and inclination of the mandrel support 5.

[0047] For example, the inclination and position of the mandrel support 5 are specified as target values by a rotary encoder on the rotor 2, which is not shown. Alternatively, it is possible to specify the target inclination and the target position of the mandrel support 5 as a function of the position of the reel mandrel 3 in operation. Alternatively or additionally, the target inclination and the target position of the mandrel support 5 can be specified by a flatness measurement of the strip 9.

[0048] Via a control system the mandrel support 5 is driven into the corresponding target position and target inclination. The angle of inclination of the mandrel support 5 can be recorded, for example, via a displacement measurement in the cylinder of the first piston-cylinder arrangement 7 or via an angle measuring device.

[0049] Pure position control can be provided for the first, second and third piston-cylinder arrangements 7, 10, 14. The forces of all cylinders can be recorded by means of force sensors and compared with the forces that are calculated or predetermined, as the case may be. Alternatively, it is possible to adjust the first and second piston-cylinder arrangements 7, 10 by force control, whereas the third piston-cylinder arrangement 14 is moved by path-dependent closed-loop control.

[0050] The circular path of the reel mandrels 3, which they complete with the rotor 2, on which they are mounted eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation D, is marked with the letter K. The inclination of the mandrel support 5 is adjusted during the operation of the supported holding mandrel 3, such that the angle between the relevant mandrel support 3 and a perpendicular corresponds as far as possible to the angle between a resultant force R from a strip tensile force BZ and the weight force G of the coil 8, 8′. A graphical force decomposition of the resultant force R from the strip tensile force BZ and the weight force G of the coil 8, 8′ is shown in FIG. 2.

[0051] With the method in accordance with the disclosure, as already mentioned at the beginning, the reel mandrel 3 to be loaded is first brought into the initial-winding position A. In such initial-winding position A, the free end of the reel mandrel 3 is supported or gripped, as the case may be, by the correspondingly moved mandrel support 5 with the bearing head 6 formed in the shape of a fork. The mandrel support 6 then raises the reel mandrel 3 to a position in which bending or deflection, as the case may be, of the reel mandrel 3 is largely counteracted. In the initial-winding position A, two to three windings of the strip 9 are initially wound onto the reel mandrel 3. Then, the rotor 2 of the reversing reel 1 is turned counterclockwise in accordance with the representation in FIGS. 1 and 2. After the coil 8 has been initially wound, the reel mandrel 3 in question is transferred into the final-winding position F by rotating the rotor 2 while maintaining the strip tension BZ. As a result of the winding process, the weight of the coil 8 increases continuously, and the angle of the resulting R from the strip tensile force BZ and the weight force G of the coil 8 changes continuously. The support force S of the mandrel support 5, for example, is always adjusted by means of a closed-loop control system and a control system in such a manner that deflection of the mandrel support 3 is counteracted accordingly at all times. As mentioned above, the closed-loop control system of the support force S of the mandrel support 5 is only one of several variants for controlling the position and inclination of the mandrel support 5. During the rotary motion of the rotor 2, the inclination of the mandrel support 5 and the horizontal position of the slide 13 in relation to the set-up plane in the exemplary embodiment are set or preset, as the case may be, in such a manner that the inclination of the mandrel support 5 and consequently the direction of action of the supporting force S is oriented essentially opposite to the resulting R from the strip tensile force BZ and the weight force G of the coil 8. The mandrel support 5 is thus oriented parallel to the effective direction of the resulting R from the strip tensile force BZ and the weight force G. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the angle α between R and a perpendicular corresponds to the angle β between S and a perpendicular.

[0052] The force control of the mandrel support 5 can, for example, be carried out in such a manner that the support force S is determined via the cylinder pressure of the first piston-cylinder arrangement. All cylinders or piston-cylinder arrangements 7, 10, and 13, as the case may be, are provided with path sensors with which the position and inclination of the mandrel support can be reliably recorded.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a control diagram in which the position of the reel mandrel 3 and the deflection of the reel mandrel 3 are used as an actuator 15 in a control loop with a controller 16. The positions of the respective cylinders or piston-cylinder arrangements 7, 10, 13, as the case may be, along with the data obtained via the cylinder pressure of the first piston-cylinder arrangements 7 and the data of a position sensor 17 for recording the position of the reel mandrel 3 are processed in the controller 16 for controlling the inclination and position of the mandrel support 5.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a control diagram in which the deflection of the reel mandrel 3 is used as an actuator 15′ of a closed-loop control system for the flatness of the strip during the winding process. The reference sign 18 indicates a stand of a rolling mill with which the flatness of the strip 9 can be influenced. The control loop includes a flatness measurement 19 of the strip 9, the measured values of which are processed together with the values from the actuator 15′ in a flatness controller 20.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0055] 1 Reversing reel

[0056] 2 Rotor

[0057] 3, 3′ Reel mandrels

[0058] 4 Mandrel support device

[0059] 5 Mandrel support

[0060] 6 Bearing head

[0061] 7 First piston-cylinder arrangement

[0062] 8, 8′ Coil

[0063] 9 Strip

[0064] 10 Second piston-cylinder arrangement

[0065] 11 Mandrel-support bearing

[0066] 12 Support

[0067] 13 Slides

[0068] 14 Third piston-cylinder arrangement

[0069] 15 Actuator

[0070] 16 Controller

[0071] 17 Position sensor

[0072] 18 Stand

[0073] 19 Flatness measurement

[0074] 20 Flatness controller

[0075] A Initial-winding position

[0076] F Final-winding position

[0077] Z Intermediate position

[0078] BZ Strip tensile force

[0079] G Weight force of the coil

[0080] D Rotational axis of the rotor

[0081] K Circular path of reel mandrels

[0082] S Support force

[0083] α Angle

[0084] β Angle