TRANSVERSE CONVEYOR FOR ROLLER TABLES

Abstract

A transverse conveyor serves to transport of heavy loads from a first, horizontally extending roller conveyor table to a second, horizontally extending roller conveyor table. The transverse conveyor is designed and configured as a roller table segment and is designed to be inserted in a flush manner both into the first and in the second roller conveyor table. A device is provided for the transverse transport of the transverse conveyors between the roller conveyor tables. The device for the transverse transport of the transverse conveyors is configured and is designed to overcome a height difference between the first roller conveyor table and the second roller conveyor table.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A transverse conveyor for transporting heavy loads from a first horizontally extending roller conveyor table to a second horizontally extending roller conveyor table, comprising: a roller table segment configured to be inserted in a flush manner into the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table, and a device for transversely transporting the roller table segment between the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table, wherein the device is configured to overcome a height difference between the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table.

16. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured to perform a transverse transport and to overcome the height difference in a single, uninterrupted movement in a single direction.

17. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the height difference between the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table causes a gradient for a travel path of the roller table segment to be between 10 and 45.

18. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the device is in operative connection with two rails to guide the roller table segment.

19. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the device has at least one driven wheel for transporting the roller table segment on two rails, and wherein a gradient of a travel path of the roller table segment is 1 to 4.

20. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the device has at least one driven pinion for transporting the roller table segment on at least one toothed rack or at least one drive rack, wherein a gradient of a travel path of the roller table segment is 4 to 10.

21. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the device has at least one hoist, comprising a cable passing over a cable drum for transporting the roller table segment, and wherein a gradient of a travel path of the roller table segment is more than 10.

22. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, further comprising a further roller table segment, wherein the device is configured to move the roller table segment and the further roller table segment simultaneously.

23. The transverse conveyor according to claim 22, wherein a third horizontally extending roller conveyor table is arranged between the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table, wherein the third horizontally extending roller conveyor table has a height difference with respect to the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table, wherein the device is configured to transport the roller table segment from the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table to the third horizontally extending roller conveyor table and simultaneously transport the further roller table segment from the third horizontally extending roller conveyor table to the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table.

24. The transverse conveyor according to claim 16, further comprising means for energy recovery configured to store energy released during the transverse transport.

25. The transverse conveyor according to claim 22, wherein the roller table segment and the further roller table segment are transported simultaneously, and wherein energy released during transporting the roller table segment is used for transporting the further roller table segment.

26. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the first horizontally extending roller conveyor table and the second horizontally extending roller conveyor table extend parallel to each other.

27. The transverse conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the transverse conveyor is part of a casting-rolling installation, and wherein the transverse conveyor connects two casting machines to a rolling mill.

28. The transverse conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the heavy loads are slabs, ingots, metal foils, metal sheets, coils of metal material, containers, and/or goods with a weight of at least 5 tons.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to two figures from which preferred embodiments of the invention become apparent. The figures do not limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of two transverse conveyors, which each connect a first and a second roller conveyor table to a third roller conveyor table, and

[0026] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged part view of a driven pinion which meshes in a drive rack in order to drive a transverse conveyor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 shows two transverse conveyors 1a, 1b, wherein the first transverse conveyor 1a connects the first roller conveyor table 2 to the third roller conveyor table 12 and the second transverse conveyor 1b connects the second roller conveyor table 3 to the third roller conveyor table 12. The third roller conveyor table 12 is arranged higher than the first and second roller conveyor tables 2,3, so that the transverse conveyor 1a, 1b has to overcome a gradient of more than 10 when transporting the thin slabs 5 to the third roller conveyor table 12. The transverse conveyors 1a, 1b are designed as roller table segments, which can be fitted in to place flush behind the first and second roller conveyor tables 2,3 and in front of the third roller conveyor table 12 so that it is readily possible to transport the thin slab 5 both from the first and second roller conveyor tables 2,3 onto the transverse conveyor 1a, 1b and from the transverse conveyors 1a, 1b onto the third roller conveyor table 12. The transverse conveyors 1a, 1b travel between the roller conveyor tables 2,3,12 on rails 6 in order to guarantee safe transport of the thin slabs 5 on the transverse conveyors 1a, 1b and a flush alignment of the transverse conveyors 1a, 1b with the roller conveyor tables 2,3,12. A cable 11 is used for the transverse transport of the transverse conveyor 1a, 1b and is connected to a motor 13 and the respective transverse conveyor 1a, 1b. The cable 11 extends around cable drums or deflection rollers 10, so that the force applied at the time of transversely transporting the thin slabs 5 can be kept low. In the arrangement shown here of transverse conveyors 1a, 1b and three roller conveyor tables 2,3,12, the thin slabs 5 are transported by means of the first transverse conveyor 1a from the first roller conveyor table 2 to the third roller conveyor table 12 following the gradient upwards, while, preferably at the same time, the second transverse conveyor 1b travels from the third roller conveyor table 12, following the gradient of the travel path downwards, into its position behind the second roller conveyor table 3 in order to pick up a new heavy load there, for example in the form of a further thin slab 5.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of a conveyor drive for a transverse conveyor (not shown), comprising a pinion 8 which is connected to a drive (not shown) and meshes in a drive rack 9 in order to move the transverse conveyor (not shown) forwards and backwards along the drive rack 9. The drive rack consists of a plurality of cylinders 14 arranged at a predefined distance from each other on a rail or the like, with the teeth of the pinion 8 dipping into the clearance between the cylinders 14, thereby causing the transverse conveyor (not shown) to be driven forwards.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0029] 1 transverse conveyor [0030] 2 first roller conveyor table [0031] 3 second roller conveyor table [0032] 4 device for the transverse transport [0033] 5 heavy loads [0034] 6 rails [0035] 8 pinion [0036] 9 drive rack [0037] 10 cable drum [0038] 11 cable [0039] 12 third roller conveyor table [0040] 13 motor [0041] 14 drive rack cylinder