Stand Housing Comprising Contact Surfaces for Sliding Rails

The present invention relates to a stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis.

Stands for rolling rod-shaped material to be rolled are known in principle in the production of metal pipes, rods, or wires. In this case, material to be rolled can be rolled to desired diameters, in that the caliber is set accordingly. For setting the caliber of a stand, it is conventional to change the spacing of the rollers from the rolling axis. A technical solution for setting the roller positions with respect to the rolling axis is the eccentric adjustment means.

For example, a stand of the above technical field having an eccentric adjustment means is known from DE 100 15 340 A1. In DE 100 15 340 A1, synchronous adjustment of all the roller shafts, and thus all the rollers, is made possible by driving just one eccentric bushing, which adjustment takes place via an adjustment connector provided on a side surface of the stand housing.

In general, a plurality of stands is arranged in succession in a rolling mill. As a result, the material to be rolled can be stretched in particular by a difference between the roller speeds of the individual stands, and rolled to a smaller diameter.

Furthermore, the roundness of the material to be rolled is generally not sufficient after passing through one stand, because the cross-section assumes a polygon-like shape on account of the star-shaped arrangement of the rollers and their relatively small number, the number of sides of the polygon corresponding to the number of rollers of the stand. For example, a material to be rolled that is rolled by a single three-roller stand has a cross-sectional shape which is not ideally round but rather approximately triangular.

The successive stands are preferably arranged, for improving the roundness of the material to be rolled, in such a way that in each case the corners of the cross section of the material to be rolled, of a material to be rolled that is leaving the stand, are contacted centrally by the rollers of the following stand, and the cross-section of the material to be rolled is rounded as a result.

Therefore, the three rollers in each case, for example of the first and of the third stand of a rolling mill having four stands, are typically located in what is known as a “Y-arrangement”, and the rollers of the stand arranged therebehind in each case, for example the second and fourth, are arranged in what is known as an “anti-Y-arrangement” (A). Due to the alternating arrangement of the rollers and stands in a Y-arrangement and anti-Y-arrangement, in each case the corners of the cross-section of the material to be rolled are rolled using the following stand, by a roller, and the cross-section of the material to be rolled is rounded as a result.

In the Y-arrangement, the lower roller is oriented in such a way that its roller shaft is positioned horizontally, i.e. the diameter of the lower roller extends vertically, in the viewing direction of the rolling axis. In contrast, in the anti-Y-arrangement it is the upper roller that has its roller shaft positioned horizontally, i.e. the diameter of the upper roller extends vertically, in the viewing direction of the rolling axis. In both cases, the roller shafts of the two further rollers are positioned tilted by 120° in each case, relative to the horizontal roller shaft. Of course, the arrangements relative to the horizontal are arbitrary overall, because it is only the relative arrangement of the rollers with respect to adjacent stands that is important for the effect described here.

The arrangement of the stands one behind the other to form a rolling mill typically takes place using stand bases, into which the stands are introduced and by which they are held. This makes it possible to replace stands from the rolling mill, for example for the maintenance which is regularly required.

The stand known from DE 100 15 340 A1 makes it possible to switch between the Y-arrangement and anti-Y-arrangement by rotation about a horizontal axis, about 180°, and allows for insertion into the stand base in both orientations. The upper and lower side surface of the rectangular stand housing serve as contact surfaces in the stand base.

The stand locations for the Y-arrangement and the anti-Y-arrangement can be selected in such a way that the adjustment connector of the eccentric adjustment means, provided on a side surface of the stand housing, remains on the same side when the side surface is a side surface that defines the stand horizontally, i.e. is vertically oriented. A coupling for torque introduction of a drive train having a motor and, if required, a gearbox for driving the roller with a horizontally oriented roller shaft is then located on the opposite side surface.

While the above-described arrangement of the adjustment connector allows for good accessibility for manual operation of the adjustment connector from this side, the adjustment connector cannot be readily operated and actuated automatically, i.e. by what is known as remote adjustment, because a motor that is required for this may not be provided on this side, in order not to block access to the stand.

Against this background, an object of the present invention is that of providing a stand housing of the above technical field, which allows for more flexible use within a rolling mill, and in particular a more flexible selection both of a position in the rolling mill and also of an adjustment configuration, with a simultaneously compact design of the rolling mill.

In other words, the object is that of developing a stand housing of the above technical field in such a way that it can be arranged modularly, in as versatile a manner as possible, in a rolling mill, at different positions and in different locations in a stand base, such that the radial spacing between the rollers and the rolling axis, i.e. the adjustment, is adjustable in a plurality of different ways, in different adjustment configurations.

This object is achieved by a stand housing according to claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

The stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis comprises at least four contact surfaces which are arranged on an outside of the stand housing and which, viewed along the rolling axis, are in parallel therewith. Two of said contact surfaces are not adjacent and extend in parallel with one another, such that they form parallel contact surfaces, and the two other of said contact surfaces are adjacent to one another, such that they form adjacent contact surfaces. In this case, the adjacent contact surfaces are at an angle of 120° to one another, and each one thereof is at an angle of 120° to one of the parallel contact surfaces. The two parallel contact surfaces or the adjacent contact surfaces or the parallel contact surfaces and the adjacent contact surfaces are designed to receive sliding rails for inserting the stand housing into a stand base.

These sliding rails make it possible to insert the stand housing precisely and securely into the stand base, in four different orientations. The arrangement of the contact surfaces and the sliding rails makes it possible to switch between different arrangements, which can in each case be assumed by a rotation of 60° about the rolling axis. Viewed along the rolling axis, the contact surfaces are arranged so as to be offset about the rolling axis about a 60° rotation in each case. Contact surfaces that are arranged so as to be offset about the rolling axis about a 60° rotation enclose the above-mentioned 120° angle relative to one another. Particularly preferably, viewed along the rolling axis the stand housing is in the shape of a regular hexagon, it also being possible, however, for the corners to be rounded or multiplied by a chamfer or the like.

The contact surfaces of the stand housing can be formed by a side surface of the stand housing or can extend in parallel with a side surface. In this case, the side surfaces do not have to be flat, but rather can also comprise steps, protrusions, or recesses, as well as openings, and can also be formed in multiple parts.

Advantageously, each of the contact surfaces is designed in multiple parts, having at least two contact edges which are spaced apart along the rolling axis and between which at least one outwardly protruding projection is formed. In particular, the projection is offset from the contact edges by two steps extending in parallel with the contact edges. In other words, the contact surfaces are arranged so as to be offset inwards relative to the protruding part of the side surface and surround the protruding part along the rolling axis on both sides, such that the stand housing rests stably along the rolling axis on two spaced sliding rails and thus on a foot of a width corresponding to the spacing between the sliding rails. At the same time, due to the spacing between them the sliding rails offer the possibility of the stand housing extending between the corresponding stand base-side standing surfaces. According to this preferred embodiment, the stand housing thus comprises two times four, i.e. eight, contact edges, which are preferably designed to receive one sliding rail in each case.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the contact surfaces is designed for receiving a pair of sliding rails. This is particularly preferred in the above-described embodiment comprising the outwardly protruding projection between contact surfaces spaced apart along the rolling axis, but is not limited to this embodiment.

In particular, in this case, one sliding rail, respectively, of the pair of sliding rails can be received on each contact edge. It is also possible, however, for a plurality of sliding rails to be provided per contact edge, or for contact edges without sliding rails to be provided.

In a preferred embodiment, the contact surfaces comprise threaded holes for fastening sliding rails. This ensures reliable, detachable, quick, and precise mounting of the sliding rails on the contact surfaces. The sliding rails can, however, also be clamped or fastened on the contact surfaces in another manner.

A stand for rolling metal rods, wires, or pipes along a rolling axis comprises a stand housing according to the above description and three rollers which are located on one roller shaft in each case, surround the rolling axis in a star-shaped manner, and together form a caliber.

The stand housing is thus designed to receive three rollers which are located on one roller shaft in each case, surround the rolling axis in a star-shaped manner, and together form a caliber. In particular, the three roller shafts are mounted in bearing holes of the stand housing by means of eccentric bushings, in such a way that a radial spacing of the rollers from the rolling axis is adjustable.

The star-shaped arrangement of the rollers around the rolling axis means that the rollers or their rotation planes are in each case arranged at an angle of 120° relative to the two adjacent rollers or their rotation planes. This also applies for the roller shafts of which the axes intersect other than in the rotation planes of the rollers, but not in the caliber. However, within the stand each roller shaft is at an angle of 120° in each case relative to the other two roller shafts.

In the present context, the caliber means the opening between the three rollers, through which the material to be rolled is guided, and in the process rolled. It extends over the cross-sectional surface, orthogonally to the rolling axis of the passage which is formed within the roll surfaces by the star-shaped arrangement of the three rollers. The caliber is not identical to a target or a production diameter of the material to be rolled, because the stand is widened by the material to be rolled and is not elastically deformed during the rolling process, and because the material to be rolled is influenced not only by the rollers themselves but rather the diameter thereof is for example also influenced elastically and plastically by forces between adjacent stands. The caliber significantly influences the production diameter, however.

In the case of the present stand, the spacings of the rollers from the rolling axis can be set for setting the caliber by rotating the eccentric bushing, i.e. an eccentric adjustment as is known for example from DE 100 15 340 A1.

The stand housing comprising the four contact surfaces that are positioned at an angle of 120° relative to one another is particularly advantageous for a stand comprising three rollers that are arranged in a star-shaped manner around the rolling axis, because the relative orientation of the rollers and the contact surfaces match one another. Thus, the stand housing can be switched between different variants of a Y-arrangement and an anti-Y-arrangement, and then in each case be inserted into the stand base via one of the mentioned contact surfaces or sliding rails.

As a result, the stand housing can be used more flexibly within a rolling mill, and in particular a more flexible selection both of a position in the rolling mill and also of an adjustment configuration can be made, with a simultaneously compact design of the rolling mill.

The stand housing can therefore be used in a rolling mill in a modular and very versatile manner, because it can be arranged at different positions and in different locations in a stand base.

Further advantages and developments of the invention emerge from the following description of the figures, and all of the claims.

In the following description of the figures, identical or corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numbers, and a repeated description is largely avoided.

is a view along a rolling axis, extending in a Z-direction, of a preferred standfor rolling metal rods, wires, or pipes. The standcomprises a stand housingwhich, in the embodiment shown here, is in the shape of a regular hexagon, when viewed along the rolling axis. An outsideof the stand housingis provided with six side surfaces.-.of equal length, which are arranged around the rolling axisin a rotationally symmetrical manner. Adjacent side surfaces.-.merge into one another in a region referred to as a corner.-.. In this case, the corners.-.can be differently marked. They comprise an abutment edge between the adjacent side surfaces.-.that merge into one another in the corner.-., which edge can be sharp-edged but is preferably chamfered or rounded. A small intermediate surface between adjacent side surfaces.-.in the sense of a pronounced, relatively wide chamfer is also possible, and is still understood, in the present context, as a corner.-.. An inlet side(not shown inbut shown in), and an outlet side, shown in, of the stand housingthus, like the stand housingof the present embodiment, have a regular hexagonal shape overall, which is characterized inter alia by the fact that it has three pairs of side surfaces.,.,.,.,.,., which are positioned in parallel with one another in each case. The stand housingis manufactured as a monobloc.

The preferred standis designed in such a way that the inlet side(not shown in) resembles the outlet sideshown in, such that all the features that are described below for the outlet sideare found on the opposite side of the stand housingat the same or corresponding locations, as is also shown in the following with reference to other figures.

The standfurther comprises three rollers.,.,.that surround the rolling axisin a star-shaped manner. The rollers.-.in each case define a rotational plane, which planes are at an angle of 120° relative to one another and intersect in the rolling axis. The rotational planes of the rollers.-.are arranged orthogonally to one pair of side surfaces.-.of the stand housingin each case. In the region of the rolling axis, the rollers.-.form a caliberbetween them. The caliberis in particular surrounded by a roll surfaceof each of the rollers.-., the roll surfacesof the rollers.-.being formed centrally along the periphery of the respective roller.-., as a concave groove, in order to provide the material to be rolled with as round an outer contour as possible. Depending on the material to be rolled, the roll surfacecan also be designed differently, however, in particular as a flat surface or as a convex surface. In, it can be seen that the rollers.-.are arranged in an anti-Y-arrangement, because the upper roller.is positioned vertically and the two remaining lower rollers.,.are in each case positioned at an angle of 120° relative to the vertical orientation of the upper roller..

The rollers.-.are in each case positioned fixedly on a roller shaft, via which the rollers.-.are driven. Axes of rotation of the roller shafts extend in parallel with one pair of side surfaces.,.,.,.,.,.in each case. The axes of rotation are furthermore arranged transversely to the rolling axisand are arranged around said axis in a rotationally symmetrical or star-shaped manner. The axis of rotation of the roller shaft of the upper roller.inis oriented in the X-direction. The axes of rotation of the two other roller shafts are angled accordingly at an angle of 120° and 240°, respectively, with respect to the axis of rotation of the upper roller shaft. Of the roller shafts, in each case only a drive-side end.,.,.is shown in, which end protrudes towards the outside, at one of the side surfaces.,.,.of the stand housing. As a result, the roller shafts can each adjoin an external drive, which can thus transmit its rolling torque to the roller shafts, and thus the rollers.-., via a coupling.

The roller shafts extend in the interior of the stand housing, in which an eccentric adjustment means (not shown) for adjusting the rollers.-.via their roller shafts is also located. The eccentric adjustment means makes it possible for a spacing between the roller shafts and thus the rollers.-.on the one hand, and the rolling axison the other hand, in the X-Y plane of, to be changed. As a result, different sizes of the calibercan be set, and also wear of the rollers.-.can be compensated, for a constant caliber. The eccentric adjustment means forms an adjustment mechanism of the rollers.-..

The adjustment mechanism of the rollers.-.can be actuated from the outside, in that an adjustment connectorthat protrudes to the outside in the vicinity of the corner.is rotated. In the embodiment shown in, the adjustment connectoris designed in such a way that it is both manually actuatable and can also be actuated automatically by a motor. The adjustment connectoris preferably connected to a rotatably mounted gear shaft, which extends in the interior of the stand housing, and to a bevel gear which engages in a tooth segment of an eccentric bushing of the eccentric adjustment means, the eccentric bushing being able, in turn, to transmit to the two other eccentric bushings a rotational movement transmitted to it via the bevel gear, and thus being able to allow a synchronous adjustment of the rollers. The adjustment mechanism is not shown in detail inbeyond the adjustment connector.

The adjustment connectoris located in the vicinity of the corner., and the gear shaft connected to the adjustment connectorextends in parallel with the upper roller shafts in, i.e. in the X-direction, the drive-side end.of which protrudes out of the stand housingon the opposite side. The adjustment connectoris thus located substantially opposite the drive-side end.of a roller shaft that extends in parallel with the gear shaft. This relative arrangement implies that the adjustment connectoris not covered by a roll motor that is arranged flush with the drive-side end.of one of the roller shafts, because the drive-side ends.,.of the roller shafts that are adjacent to the adjustment connectorare oriented upwards and downwards by approximately 60° in each case with respect to the adjustment connectorand its gear shaft, such that the motors coupled thereto form a large free space between them, which leaves the adjustment connectorfreely accessible.

In, the adjustment connectoris arranged close to the corner.and so as to be offset slightly upwards with respect to an imaginary horizontal central plane of the stand housing. In this case, a spacing along the Y-axis in, between the adjustment connectorand the central plane extending in parallel with the gear shaft, i.e. in the X-direction in, is less than 10% of the extension of the stand housingin the Y-direction, i.e. between two opposite side surfaces.,.of the stand housing.

shows three mounting elements.,.,.for a guide (not shown in) for the material to be rolled. The guide can be mounted on the outlet sideof the stand housing, which is shown in. The mounting elements.,.,.can also be arranged on the inlet side(not visible in), so that a guide for the material to be rolled can be mounted there.

The guide for the material to be rolled can for example be a roller guide, in particular a roller guide, as is shown by way of example in, or a funnel guide. The mounting elements.,.,.are positioned in a star-shaped manner around the rolling axisand so as to be opposite one of the rollers.,.,.in each case, with respect to the rolling axis. The three mounting elements.,.,.are in each case arranged around the rolling axisat an angular spacing of 120°.

Furthermore, three coupling clamping regions.,.,.are arranged on the outlet sideof the stand housing, shown in, in adjacent corners.,.,.of the stand housing. The coupling clamping regions.,.,.are in each case delimited by two clamping rails. The three adjacent corners.,.,.in which the coupling clamping regions.,.,.are arranged are the corner.in which the adjustment connectoris also arranged, and the two corners.,.adjacent thereto. The coupling clamping regions.,.,.serve to fasten a roller guide adjustment connector(not shown inbut shown in) securely on the stand housing. This relative arrangement of the coupling clamping regions.,.,.in the corner.of the adjustment connectorand the two corners.,.surrounding these makes it possible for the particular flexibility of the arrangement and configuration of the standto be combined with a roller guide and thus to be transferred to the entire system consisting of the standand roller guide.

shows that the stand housingcomprises four sliding rails.,.,.,.on the outlet side, which rails are arranged in parallel with four neighboring side surfaces.,.,.,.. The sliding rails.-.adjoin one another and extend along the periphery of the hexagonal stand housing, from the corner.comprising the coupling clamping region.to the corner.comprising the coupling clamping region.. In the illustration of, the sliding rails.-.are not arranged on the side surfaces.-., but rather so as to be offset inwards in the direction of the rolling axis. The sliding rails.-.form glide surfaces which extend on the one hand in the peripheral direction along the side surfaces.-., and on the other hand out of the sheet plane in parallel with the rolling axisand the side surfaces.-., i.e. in the Z-direction in. Thus, the sliding rails.-.can serve as contact surfaces in four orientations of the standand are intended in particular for facilitating receiving of the standin a stand base (not shown), in that the standcan be pushed into the stand base on the sliding rails.-.and in this case the sliding rails.-.can also be used as sealing elements. On the opposing inlet side(not shown in) four sliding rails.-.are also located, opposite the sliding rails.-.that are shown, such that in each case a pair of the sliding rails.-.on opposing sides can be used for stable mounting of the standin a stand base.

The standfurther comprises three water outlet openings.,.,.on the outlet sideshown in. Cooling water, which is intended to be used for a roller guide for example, can thus be introduced into the stand housingat one of the side surfaces.,.,.through water feed openings (not shown in), conducted through the stand housing, and conducted out through one of the water outlet openings.,.,.and fed from there to the roller guide.

Furthermore, on the outlet sideshown inand also the inlet side(not shown in this figure) a total of five clamping points.,.,.,.,.are located in the corners.,.,.,.,.that define the side surfacesalong which the sliding rails.,.,.,.are arranged, which clamping points can absorb a clamping force from the stand base for fixing the stand.

shows the standfromin a position that can be assumed, relative to the orientation of, by tilting of the standabout 180° about a horizontal axis K, i.e. which extends in the X-direction. Thus,is a rear view of the standaccording to, i.e. showing the inlet side. In this position of the stand, in contrast to the position illustrated inthe rollers.-.are arranged in a Y-arrangement.

The roller shafts are displaced in parallel relative to the position of the standfrom, and therefore their drive-side ends.-.protrude out of the stand housingin the same direction, but in a different position, specifically mirrored at the respective corner.,.,.. Thus, due to the above-described tilting, the standshown allows for use in the rolling mill having both a Y-arrangement and an anti-Y-arrangement of the rollers.-.in the same stand base, the drive-side ends.-.of the roller shafts shifting merely in translation. This allows a high degree of flexibility of use of the standin a compact rolling mill. The roll drives, which are coupled to the drive-side ends.-.of the roller shafts in the two positions of the stand, can be arranged on the same side of the rolling axisfor each stand place having alternating Y-arrangement and anti-Y-arrangement, which keeps the space requirement of the entire rolling mill relatively small.

Due to the tilting about the axis K, the adjustment connectoris still arranged in the vicinity of the corner.of the stand housing. It is arranged in a manner slightly offset downwards with respect to the horizontal central plane of the stand housing, specifically mirrored at the corner.. Nonetheless, in this position of the standtoo, i.e. the Y-arrangement, the adjustment connectorcan be easily reached from the same side, and thus is suitable in particular for efficient manual operation of standsadjacent to the eccentric adjustment means.

further shows a roller guidewhich is fastened on the stand housingvia the mounting elements.-., which have been described above with reference toand are also present on the inlet sideof the stand housingshown in. The roller guideis also adjustable, in that rollers of the roller guidecan be positioned closer to or further from the rolling axisby means of a roller adjustment mechanism. For the roller adjustment mechanism, the roller guideis connected via a universal shaftto a roller adjustment connectorvia which a torque can be applied to the roller adjustment mechanism.