Tool changeover system and method

Abstract

To minimize the setup times in the case of a tool changeover on rolls, the movement sequences are separated into transverse movements and vertical movements using a tool changeover system and method for changeover of at least one tool disposed on a roll shaft in a working position. In one aspect, the tool changeover system includes a tool changeover rack, a vertical transport and a transverse transport. A drawing frame separate from the tool changeover rack can be transported transversely separately with reference to the tool changeover rack. The tool changeover rack has a device for connecting with the vertical transport and a tool accommodation for accommodating the tool. The drawing frame has a device for connecting with the transverse transport and a device for connecting with the tool.

Claims

1. A tool changeover system used in a rolling machine for changeover of at least one tool comprising a roller disposed on a roll shaft in a working position in the rolling machine comprising: (a) a vertical transport; (b) a tool changeover rack; (c) a guide support; and (d) a changeover rack guide configured as a motion link guide between the tool changeover rack and the guide support, wherein the motion link guide comprises a guide track having an open top portion comprising a guide track opening, and wherein the guide track comprises a constant vertical track component guiding the tool changeover rack to a changeover position with reference to the working position.

2. The tool changeover system according to claim 1, further comprising an introduction aid provided on a guide entrance of the guide track disposed near the guide track opening.

3. The tool changeover system according to claim 1, wherein the tool changeover system serves for changeover of multiple tools disposed on different roll shafts and connected with one another to form a compound structure.

4. The tool changeover system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical transport is a crane.

5. A tool changeover system used in a rolling machine for changeover of at least one tool comprising a roller disposed in a working position on a roll shaft in a roll support of the rolling machine comprising: (a) a vertical transport; (b) a tool changeover rack; (c) a guide support configured separately from the roll support; and (d) a changeover rack guide configured as a motion link guide between the tool changeover rack and the guide support; wherein the motion link guide comprises a guide track having an open top portion and wherein the guide track comprises a constant vertical track component guiding the tool changeover rack to a changeover position with reference to the working position.

6. A tool changeover method used in a rolling machine for changeover of at least one tool comprising a roller disposed in a working position on a roll shaft in a roll stand of the rolling machine comprising the steps of: (a) using a vertical transport to introduce a tool changeover rack into a guide track comprising a constant vertical track component guiding the tool changeover rack to a changeover position with reference to the working position; and (b) moving the tool changeover rack away from the changeover position or to the changeover position along the guide track; wherein the tool changeover rack is lowerable from above the guide track into the changeover position or the tool changeover rack is raisable upward from the changeover position until the tool changeover rack leaves the guide track; and wherein the tool changeover method serves for changeover of multiple rolls disposed on different roll shafts and connected with one another to form a compound structure for a tool changeover.

7. The tool changeover method according to claim 6, wherein the tools are axially displaced from the roll shafts to the tool changeover rack and from the tool changeover rack to the roll shafts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, goals, and properties of the present invention will be explained using the following description of exemplary embodiments, which are particularly shown also in the attached drawing. The drawing shows:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a rolling machine having a tool changeover system;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 with the roll stand open;

(4) FIG. 3 is a detail representation of two clamping rings for the arrangement according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 3 in a top view, axial to the rollers, with the securing element released;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a clamping ring according to FIGS. 3 and 4 with the securing element secured;

(7) FIG. 6 is a detail view of the non-releasable securing device of the clamping rings according to FIGS. 3 and 4;

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of a tool changeover rack for the arrangement according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of the tool changeover rack according to FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 2 with the tool changeover rack in place (roll stand not shown); and

(11) FIG. 10 shows a section through the arrangement according to FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) The rolling machine 10 shown in the figures comprises two rolls 80 disposed horizontally one on top of the other, which each comprise a roll shaft 12 and a plurality of tools 11 (numbered as an example) that are disposed on the respective roll shafts 12, and are used as stretching rolls in this exemplary embodiment. The upper roll shaft 12a (numbered in FIG. 1 as an example) is disposed above the lower roll shaft 12b (numbered in FIG. 1 as an example). The rolls 80 are mounted in roll supports 13, one of which is axially displaceable, and which absorb the forces that occur between the rolls 80 during the rolling processes.

(13) The entire rolling machine 10 is disposed in a foundation 14 (see FIG. 10) of a production facility (not shown here).

(14) The rolling machine 10 is provided with a tool changeover system 15 that can also be retrofitted, if applicable.

(15) This tool changeover system 15 comprises a tool changeover rack 20 (see FIGS. 7 to 10), a vertical transport 30, a transverse transport 40, a drawing frame 50, and a changeover rack guide 60.

(16) As can particularly be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the tool changeover rack 20 comprises two tool accommodations 21, which are roll-shaped and are adapted to the inside working diameter of the tools 11 (FIGS. 9 and 10) with their outside diameter, and are attached to a main plate, vertically one on top of the other, wherein the position of the tool accommodations 21 on the main plate 22 corresponds to the position of the roll shafts 12 in the roll supports 13, to the greatest possible extent, so that the tool accommodations 21 can easily be positioned axially in front of the roll shafts 12, in order to take up the tools 11 in the case of a tool changeover, by means of a transverse movement, or, vice versa, to place them back onto the tool shafts.

(17) Furthermore, a hook continuation 23 is set onto the main plate 22, which continuation projects away from the main plate 22 essentially parallel to the tool accommodations 21 and carries a plurality of small recesses (not numbered), into which a crane hook 31 of an indoor crane (not shown) of the production facility can be hooked, as indicated in FIG. 9 as an example.

(18) The plurality of recesses of the hook continuation 23 makes it possible to position the crane hook 31 axially differently, with reference to the center of gravity, because the center of gravity of this tool changeover rack 20 with or without tools 11 is certainly displaced with reference to the tools 11, and the question as to whether or not these tools are positioned on the tool accommodation 21 is certainly relevant.

(19) It is understood thatdepending on the concrete implementationthe tool changeover rack 20 can also be configured differently, particularly with regard to the placement of the tool accommodation 21 and of the hook continuation 23.

(20) Furthermore, the tool changeover rack 20 has an opening 24 (FIG. 8) for a cable pull mechanism 41 (see, in particular, FIG. 9), which is used as the transverse transport 40 in this exemplary embodiment.

(21) The transverse transport 40 furthermore comprises a deflection roller 42 for the cable pull mechanism 41, which can be introduced into the roll support 13 of the two roll supports 13 that is farthest away from the cable pull mechanism 41 (see FIG. 9). In this manner, the cable pull mechanism 41 can be used as a transverse transport 40 for different movement directions.

(22) Furthermore, a tool securing device is disposed on the tool accommodations 21, which brings about securing in the circumference direction. Depending on the concrete embodiment of the rolls 80, other measures can also be provided.

(23) The drawing frame 50 (see, in particular, FIGS. 9 and 10) is an essentially rectangular frame rack that has connection possibilities for the tools 11. In this connection, the tools 11 are also connected with one another to form a compound structure. It is understood that an alternative drawing frame 50 can also have connection elements for each individual tool, such as horizontal connection bars, for example, which are connected with the tools, in each instance, or are configured to reach, proceeding from the drawing frame 50, all the way to the tool 11 that is farthest away, in each instance, and then embrace all of the tools 11, in order to represent a compound structure composed of tools 11 and drawing frame 50 for the tool changeover, which structure then implements a corresponding tool changeover with a very small number of transverse movements or axial movements. Accordingly, it is not absolutely necessary that the tools 11 constantly form a compound structure with one another.

(24) Furthermore, an attachment 51 for the transverse transport 40 or for the cable pull 41 is provided on the drawing frame 50, so that it can be quickly connected with the transverse transport 40 in operationally reliable manner. It is understood thatdepending on the concrete embodimenta different transverse transport can also be used in place of a cable pull 41.

(25) The deflection roller 42 can be used for pushing the tools 11 onto the roll shafts 12, in that the cable pull 41 can be deflected by way of the deflection roller and thereby can be used to act by pulling in the direction of the roll shafts 12.

(26) In order to position the tool changeover rack 20 into a changeover position quickly and in operationally reliable manner (see FIGS. 9 and 10), the changeover rack guide 60 has a motion link guide 61 in two guide supports 62, which are set up to the side of the opening path of the roll support 13 that is disposed closest to the guide support 62 and the cable pull 41. In this manner, the guide supports 62 can also be easily retrofitted, if applicable.

(27) Each of the guide supports 62 has a guide groove 63 into which related guide springs 64 that are provided on the tool changeover rack 20 can engage in guiding manner.

(28) In this connection, the motion link guides 61 define a guide track 70 for the tool changeover rack 20, which track is open at the top and has an introduction aid 72 (FIGS. 1 and 2) on its upper, open guide entrance 71, which aid is implemented by means of a widened region of the guide groove 63. It is understood that a corresponding guide track 70, which is open at the top and also has an introduction aid on its upper, open guide entrance 71 can also be implemented in a different manner. For this purpose, a motion link guide 61 is not absolutely necessary; in particular, a corresponding guide groove can also be provided on the tool changeover rack, which groove is configured to be open toward the bottom, in order to guarantee a guide track that is correspondingly open at the top.

(29) For a changeover of the tools 11, first the roll shafts 12 are moved into the changeover position and prepared. Then, the roll stand 13 that lies closest to the guide supports 62 is opened, as a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows.

(30) In a next step, the drawing frame 50 is then screwed onto the tools 11, and thereby a corresponding compound structure is made available, which comprises all the tools 11 of the two roll shafts 12, in other words the tools 11 of the upper roll shaft 12a and of the lower roll shaft 12b, and the drawing frame 50.

(31) Afterward, the tool changeover rack 20 is introduced into the guide tracks 70 with the crane, and lowered into its changeover position. As is directly evident, the guide track 70 has a vertical component in every position, so that corresponding lowering and subsequent lifting can easily be implemented.

(32) Subsequently, the pulling cable of the Cable pull 41 is passed through the opening 24 and hooked into the attachment 51. The tools 11 can then be jointly pulled, as a compound structurespecifically by means of the drawing frame 50, also as a compound structure with the tools 11 of the two roll shafts 12onto the tool accommodations 21, whereby in this exemplary embodiment, bridge elements are still set onto the roll shafts before this happens, in order to stabilize the movement sequence in this regard.

(33) Thereafter, the crane hook 31 is moved, if necessary, in order to compensate for a change in the center of gravity of the tool changeover rack 20. Subsequently, the tool changeover rack 20 can be lifted using the crane and transported away. Then, a second tool changeover rack 20 with new tools 11 can be lowered into the guide track accordingly and brought into the changeover position. Now the deflection roller 42 is hooked into the roll support 13, the pulling cable of the cable pull 41 is laid into the deflection roller 42 and hooked into the attachment 51 on the back side of the drawing frame 40. Subsequently, the tools 11, as a compound structure with the drawing frame 50, can be pulled onto the roll shafts 12.

(34) Now, the drawing frame 50 is disassembled and removed. The roll support 13 can be closed again, whereby afterward, the rolls 80 can be moved back into the rolling position.

(35) The setup times for a tool changeover for rolls 80, as compared with conventional tool changeovers, can already be reduced by means of these measures, from up to several hours until now to less than one hour, without a cost-intensive fully automated solution that cannot be retrofitted, for changeover of complete tool packages, having to be used. In particular, handling of individual tools is also eliminated.

(36) The setup time can furthermore be reduced to approximately half an hour by means of clamping rings 81 that are released and removed before the drawing frame is mounted on the tools 11, and are installed again after the drawing frame 50 is removed from the tools 11.

(37) These clamping rings 81 (see, in particular, FIGS. 3 to 6), where FIGS. 3 and 4 are detail representations of the two rolls 80 in the rolling machine 10 (see FIGS. 1, 2, 9, and 10), comprise a quick-clamp-and-release unit 82, which is essentially implemented by means of a securing pin 87 as an axial securing device and a clamping screw 91. A clamping head 92 of the clamping screw 91 is directed axially inward, in other words facing the tools, so that the clamping screw 91 can be adjusted using simple tools, such as an impact wrench, for example tightened or released.

(38) Each of the clamping rings 81 has an inner contact region 83, with which the clamping ring 81 lies against the respective roll shaft 12 in the clamped state. Furthermore, each clamping ring 81 has a release region 84 that is set back outward relative to the inner contact region 83 that lies next to it but is axially slightly offset.

(39) If the axial clamping is now released, the clamping ring 81 can be tilted onto the release regions 84, thereby allowing easy installation and removal.

(40) In a concrete implementation, the inner contact regions 83 and the release regions 84 are implemented by means of inner regions of the clamping ring 81 that are configured in the form of partial-cylinder mantles, in each instance, the axes 85 of which regions intersect, whereby the partial-cylinder mantle that belongs to the partial-cylinder mantle surfaces of the release regions 84 has a slightly greater radius than the partial-cylinder mantle that belongs to the two inner contact regions 83.

(41) The axes 85 of these two cylinders intersect approximately in the center of the clamping ring 81 (see FIG. 3, bottom), so that the clamping ring 81 can also be produced by means of simple production techniques, which rely on rotating tools.

(42) Furthermore, the clamping ring 81 has an axial securing device 86, which is implemented by means of a securing pin 87 oriented perpendicular to the common axis 85 of the roll shaft 12 and of the inner contact regions 83, which pin passes through the clamping ring 81 in a corresponding bore. This bore opens inward at a location (see FIG. 3), so that the securing pin 87 can engage into a groove, not shown, of the roll shaft 12, in order to axially secure the clamping ring 81 in this way. The securing pin 87 is furthermore secured to prevent it from coming loose, by way of a securing screw 88 (see FIG. 6).

(43) This non-releasable securing of the securing pin 87 takes place in such a manner, however, that the securing pin 87 can still be rotated in its bore, so that a recess 89 of the securing pin can be rotated to secure or release the axial securing device 86 accordingly. When the recess 89 faces the roll shaft 12 or the groove of the roll shaft 12, the clamping ring 81 can be removed, because the axial shape fit between the securing pin 87 and the groove is opened, while the axial securing device 86 engages when the recess faces away from the roll shaft 12 and therefore the shape fit between roll shaft 12 and securing pin 87 is closed.

(44) Furthermore, the clamping ring 81 comprises a clamping element 90 that can apply a clamping force coaxial to the axis 85 of the roll shaft 12. The clamping element 90 comprises a clamping screw 91, by means of which a clamping head 92 can be axially clamped against an adjacent tool 11. In this connection, at least two of the clamping elements 90 sit in an angle segment of 180, which comprises that inner contact region 83 that lies farthest away from the tool 11 that lies next to the clamping ring 81, in its center. In this manner, the clamping force applied axially by means of the clamping element 90 leads to a tilting moment that presses the two inner contact regions 83 against the roll 12.

(45) The clamping elements 90 are disposed to lie opposite one another in the circumference direction the axial securing device 86, so that the axial securing device 86 is disposed in an angle segment of 180, which comprises that inner contact region 83 that lies closest to the tool 11 that lies next to the clamping ring 81, in its center.

(46) The clamping ring 81 with its quick-clamp-and-release unit 82 can be installed and removed extremely quickly, thereby making it possible to further reduce setup times. Furthermore, it can also be used for existing rolls 80 and can be set onto and removed from the roll shafts in separate transverse and vertical movements, accordingly.

(47) Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.