Process for rolling flat material and strip

• US 5,906,129 A
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Quambusch, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOLAN, EDWARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US09/111,847
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 72/10.4, 72/10.6, 72/14.4, 72/14.5, 72/241.6, 72/241.8, 72/237, 72/247, 72/365.2
• US Class Current: 72/241.8
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 1/22 for rolling plates, strips, bands or sheets of indefinite length B21B1/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 2269/04 Work roll bending
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 31/203 Balancing rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/38 using roll bending B21B37/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/72 Rear end control; Front end control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for rolling a roll material through a roll stand having work rolls and support rolls and having devices for balancing and positively and negatively bending the work rolls mounted in chucks of the work rolls. The process includes setting a balancing force by moving the work rolls against the support rolls without clearance when the roll gap is open by using the piston-cylinder units for positive and negative roll bending, setting the pressure in the piston-cylinder units for negative bending so as to attain the roll gap correction needed under load to control the profile and flatness of the roll train and setting the pressure in the piston-cylinder units for balancing and positive bending higher than the amount of balancing force needed. The piston-cylinder units are controlled for exerting a roll force including the positive bending force and the negative bending force on the work rolls when the roll material is inserted in the roll gap and expands the roll gap to a desired size. The piston-cylinder units are also controlled for exerting the balancing force on the work rolls after the end of the roll material exits the roll gap.

Claims

1. A process for rolling a roll material in a roll stand, the roll stand having work rolls and support rolls and devices for balancing the work rolls and positively and negatively bending the work rolls mounted in chucks of the work rolls, the devices including vertically arranged piston-cylinder units resting bilaterally on the roll stand and arranged from above and below against projections embodied on the chucks of the work rolls and extending toward a housing window of the roll stand, the piston-cylinder units being pressurizable for moving the chucks toward or away from each other, said process comprising the steps of:

a) setting a balancing force using the piston-cylinder units for positive and negative roll bending by moving the work rolls against the support rolls without clearance when the roll gap between the work rolls is open and empty;

b) setting a negative roll bending force by setting the pressure in the piston-cylinder units for negative bending to attain the roll gap correction needed under load to control the profile and flatness of a roll material;

c) setting a positive roll bending force by setting the pressure in the piston-cylinder units for balancing and positive bending higher than the required balancing force;

d) controlling the piston-cylinder units for positive and negative bending such that a roll force comprising the negative roll bending force set in step b. and the positive roll bending force set in step c. is exerted on the work rolls when the roll material is inserted in the roll gap and expands the roll gap to a desired size; and

e) controlling the piston-cylinder units for positive and negative bending such that the required balancing force set in step a. is exerted on the work rolls when the end of the roll material exits the roll gap.

2. The process for rolling flat material and strip of claim 1, wherein said step d. comprises moving cylinders of the piston-cylinder units for positive bending to the chucks and fixing the cylinders in position after the balancing force has been overcome by the roll force when the roll gap is expanded to the desired size by inserting the roll material between the work rolls;

and

compensating for an increase in force that occurs in the cylinders of the piston-cylinder units for positive bending with an increase in the force applied by the piston-cylinder units for negative bending.

3. The process for rolling flat material and strip in a roll stand of claim 1, further comprising the step of switching from negative to positive bending of the rolls during the rolling process by suitably increasing or reducing the pressure in the piston-cylinder units for positive and negative roll bending.