MODULAR STAND BASE FOR SPACED STANDS OF A ROLLING MIL

Abstract

The present application relates to a stand base (10) for two or more stands (14) of a rolling mill arranged one behind the other in a rolling direction (W) of a material to be rolled, the stand base (10) comprising two or more receiving modules (12) arranged one behind the other, which are fastened to a common lower base frame (32) and a common upper cover frame (34).

Claims

1. A stand base for two or more stands of a rolling mill arranged one behind the other in a rolling direction of a material to be rolled, wherein the stands each comprise more than four side surfaces which together form a periphery of the stand when viewed from the rolling direction, the stand base comprising: two or more receiving modules mounted individually in a base, each the receiving modules configured to receive one of the stands through a lateral opening such that the receiving module covers four of the side surfaces and more than half of the periphery of the stand, and a protective flap on the side of the lateral opening, between all the receiving modules arranged adjacently one behind the other, the protective flap configured to protect an intermediate space between the adjacent receiving modules from rods escaping from the intermediate space or from escaping water, and to protect against people reaching into the intermediate space.

2. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein the receiving modules are mounted in the base by way of a common lower base frame.

3. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving modules comprises an operating substance connection directed towards the lateral opening, the operating substance connection configured to supply the stand with the operating substance.

4. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving modules comprises a retainer for an electrical or hydraulic remote adjustment means of the stand.

5. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving modules comprises a retainer for an electrical or hydraulic remote adjustment means of a roller guide attached to the stand.

6. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving modules is provided with a clamping mechanism for temporarily fixing a stand in the receiving module.

7. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving modules is mounted at the bottom in the base in a torque-free manner, such that the receiving module is tiltable along the rolling direction, wherein each of the receiving modules rests, at the top, against a respective counter bearing.

8. The stand base according to claim 7, wherein a force measuring device is arranged between the receiving module and the counter bearing such that a force acting on the stand received in the receiving module, along the rolling direction, can be measured.

9. The stand base according to claim 8, wherein a limitation element is arranged between the receiving module and the counter bearing, the limitation element configured to protect the force measuring device against overloading.

10. The stand base according to claim 7, wherein the counter bearings of the receiving modules are fastened to a common cover frame.

11. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein each receiving module comprises a longitudinal drive having a gripper device, such that the stand can be pushed into the receiving module and out of the receiving module through the lateral opening .

12. The stand base according claim 1, wherein two receiving modules for receiving the stands in two different arrangements are arranged alternately behind one another.

13. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein the protective flap is configured to be hydraulically or electrically pivotable.

14. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein the protective flap comprises a closable opening in configured to enable access to the intermediate space.

15. The stand base according to claim 1, wherein a stand is received in each of the receiving modules.

16. The stand base according to claim 7, wherein each of the receiving modules is mounted at the bottom on the base frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a preferred stand base.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a preferred mounting of two receiving modules of a stand base.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a preferred receiving module of a stand base.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a preferred protective flap of a stand base.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a preferred stand base 10. The stand base 10 comprises four receiving modules 12 that are arranged one behind the other along a rolling direction W. Each receiving module 12 serves to receive one stand 14. A narrow intermediate space 16 is located between adjacent receiving modules, which intermediate space is narrower in the rolling direction W than each of the receiving modules 12.

[0045] The receiving modules 12 are shaped in such a way that they can reliably receive stands 14, four of which are shown in FIG. 1. The stands 14 have a base surface which is directed perpendicularly to the rolling direction W and is in the shape of a regular hexagon. The stand housing of the stand is decisive for the shape of the stand 14, and rollers 14.1, connections 14.2, receptacles 14.3 or the like do not preclude the feature of the stand 14 being referred to as hexagonal.

[0046] Owing to the hexagonal shape of the stands 14, the receiving modules 12 are in the shape of a partially negative hexagon. The receiving modules 12 shown in FIG. 1 comprise four side surfaces 18, shown in FIG. 2, which are arranged and dimensioned such, in particular are thus of the same length and are arranged at an internal angle of 120 to one another, that they reliably surround the stand 14, of the above-described hexagonal shape, from the top and bottom, and on a first side 68 viewed in the rolling direction W. At the front and back, viewed in the rolling direction W, the receiving modules 12 further comprise protective walls 20, in order to firmly surround the stands 14.

[0047] On the side opposite the first side 68, viewed in the rolling direction W, which opposite side faces the viewer in FIG. 1, all the receiving modules 12 comprise a lateral opening 66, through which the stands 14, standing on one of their side surfaces, can be pushed into the receiving modules 12 along an insertion direction E.

[0048] Below and to the rear along the insertion direction E, i.e. on the first side of each of the receiving modules 12, sliding rails 22 are furthermore located on the receiving module 12, on which rails the stand 14 can be pushed into the receiving module 12 in a low-wear manner and in a defined position. The sliding rails 22 can also serve as sealing against splashing water.

[0049] A protective flap 24 is formed between all adjacent receiving modules 12, which flap covers the intermediate space 16 between the adjacent receiving modules 12. Thus, the intermediate space 16 is protected from rods escaping from the intermediate space 16 or from escaping water, and against people reaching into the intermediate space 16.

[0050] The protective flap 24 is designed to be pivotable via a hinge 26 arranged in the upper region between the receiving modules 12. Thus, the intermediate space 16 can be covered and also released by the protective flap 24, for example in order to carry out work in the intermediate space 16 between the receiving modules 12, if rolling is not currently being performed, but also in order to facilitate exchanging of the stands 14, in particular pushing in or out of the stands 14. In order to allow for brief access to the intermediate space 16, the protective flap 24 comprises a closable opening, which is covered by a hand hole cover 30 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Opening of the hand hole cover 30 is significantly quicker and associated with less effort than opening the entire protective flap 24, above all when all the protective flaps 24 of the stand base 10 are pivoted open and closed by a common drive.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a preferred mounting of two receiving modules 12 of a stand base 10. The two receiving modules 12 shown in FIG. 2 are fastened to a common lower base frame 32 and a common upper cover frame 34. The receiving modules 12 are mounted in a base via the common lower base frame 32. The receiving modules 12 are mounted at the bottom in a torque-free manner in a base via the common lower base frame 32, by means of a joint 36 having a tilting axis K. In other words, the receiving modules 12 are mounted at the bottom in such a way that they can tilt about the joint 36, along the rolling direction W which corresponds, in FIG. 2, to the main extension direction of the base frame 32, such that forces acting on the receiving module 12 along the rolling direction W lead to a torque about the tilting axis K of the joint 36.

[0052] The receiving module 12 rests, at the top, with a stop 40 of the receiving module 12, on a counter bearing 38. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the joint 36 is located off-center on the receiving module 12, at the bottom, along the rolling direction W, such that the gravity acting on the receiving module 12 induces a tilting moment about the joint 36 to the left in FIG. 2, i.e. counter to the rolling direction W. Said tilting moment counteracts the counter bearing 38, at the top, such that the receiving module 12 rests securely on the counter bearing 38, with the stop 40. An additional force on the stand 14 received in the receiving module 12 is superimposed on the force with which the receiving module 12 rests on the counter bearing 38 at the top, and thus changes the force acting on the counter bearing 38. Conclusions on the forces acting through the stand 14 on the material to be rolled can be drawn from this, which conclusions are valuable for regulating and controlling the rolling process.

[0053] For the force measurement, force measuring devices 58 are arranged between the counter bearings 38 and the stops 40 of the receiving modules 12 resting thereon, which force measuring devices can be designed for example as piezo elements.

[0054] In FIG. 2, one of the two receiving modules 12 shown is provided with a stand 14, while the remaining of the two receiving modules 12 shown is empty. The empty receiving module 14 also illustrates, in addition to the elements already described above with reference to FIG. 1, a retainer 42 for an electrical or hydraulic remote adjustment means of a roller guide attached to the stand 14. A roller guide of this kind is optional and can furthermore be adjusted by a remote adjustment means, i.e. by motor, or manually, or can be designed such that no adjustment is performed, but rather for example a force is exerted continuously on the roll, in the direction of the material to be rolled, by a spring.

[0055] Furthermore, a hook 44 is visible in the empty receiving module 12 in FIG. 2, by means of which hook a stand 14 can be pulled into or pushed out of the receiving module 12. Said hook 44 is operatively connected to a longitudinal drive 46, via which the force required for pushing in and pushing out a stand 14 can be provided.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows that the empty receiving module 12 comprises openings 48 in its side surfaces 18. A plurality of openings 48 of this kind are provided for drive shafts of the rollers of the stands 14. Via said openings 48 a coupling of a roller shaft can reach the outside through the receiving module 12, from the side of the stand 14, where the roller shaft can be coupled to a corresponding drive.

[0057] Furthermore, two first operating substance connections designed as water connections 50 are shown in the receiving module 12. One or more corresponding connections on the stand 14 can be coupled to said water connections 50, in that the stand 14 is pushed into the receiving module 12. For this purpose, the stand 14 can be provided with a corresponding connector which penetrates into the water connection 50 of the receiving module and thus establishes a watertight connection.

[0058] A second operating substance connection designed as an air connection 52 is also shown. The air connection 52 is positioned and designed, similarly to the water connections 50 too, in such a way that the air connection 52 can be coupled to a corresponding connection on the stand 14, in that the stand 14 is pushed into the receiving module 12.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a preferred receiving module 12 of a stand base 10. In this figure, a remote adjustment means 54 for the rolls of a roller guide attached to the stand is indicated, which remote adjustment means is held in the retainer 42 for the remote adjustment means. Furthermore, FIG. 3 also shows an electrical or hydraulic remote adjustment means 56 of the rollers of the stand, attached to the receiving module 12, which is attached obliquely at the top to the receiving module 12 and allows simple coupling to a corresponding remote adjustment connector of the stand. FIG. 3 shows the hooks 44 also illustrated in FIG. 2, and the longitudinal drive 46 that is operatively connected to the hook 44.

[0060] A comparison of the empty receiving module from FIG. 2 and the receiving module from FIG. 3 shows that the water connections 50, the air connection 52 and the openings 48 for the roller drive are provided in different positions. The receiving modules 12 are configured for two different arrangements, specifically once for what is known as a Y-arrangement of the rollers and once for what is known as an anti-Y-arrangement of the rollers.

[0061] The modular design of the stand base 10 makes it possible to convert between the different arrangements in an extremely flexible manner, in that in each case suitable receiving modules 12 are easily positioned in the stand base 10, which receiving modules can all be mounted in the same way, can be supplied with the same operating substances, and allow the same mechanism for pushing the stands 14 in and out and also for the same force measurement.

[0062] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a preferred protective flap 24 of a stand base 10. FIG. 4 shows the protective flap 24 in a closed position. The protective flap 24 comprises the hand hole cover 30 already explained above with reference to FIG. 1, and two windows 60, in order to be able to look into the intermediate space 16 between adjacent receiving modules 12. Furthermore, the protective flap 24 is pivotably mounted at the top in a hinge 26, such that it can be pivoted open and closed. For this purpose, FIG. 4 shows a protective flap drive 62, in which a hydraulic cylinder applies the force for opening and closing the protective flap 24. FIG. 4 shows protective plates 64 on the side opposite the lateral opening of the receiving module 12, and the upper and lower edge of the intermediate space 16, which serve above all to discharge splashing water in said intermediate space 16 in as controlled a manner as possible, and to reduce contamination of the stand base 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0063] 10 stand base [0064] 12 receiving module [0065] 14 stand [0066] 14.1 roller [0067] 14.2 connection [0068] 14.3 receptacle [0069] 16 intermediate space [0070] 18 side surface [0071] 20 protective wall [0072] 22 sliding rail [0073] 24 protective flap [0074] 26 hinge [0075] 28 opening [0076] 30 hand hole cover [0077] 32 base frame [0078] 34 cover frame [0079] 36 joint [0080] 38 counter bearing [0081] 40 stop [0082] 42 retainer [0083] 44 hook [0084] 46 longitudinal drive [0085] 48 opening [0086] 50 water connection [0087] 52 air connection [0088] 54 remote adjustment means of the roller guide [0089] 56 remote adjustment means of the rollers [0090] 58 force measuring device [0091] 60 window [0092] 62 protective flap drive [0093] 64 protective plate [0094] 66 lateral opening [0095] 68 first side [0096] E insertion direction [0097] K tilting axis [0098] W rolling direction