Threefold Rotationally Symmetrical Stand Housing Having Integrated Operating Fluid Lines

The present invention relates to a stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis, comprising water feed openings that are designed to conduct water through the interior of the stand housing to water outlet openings.

Stand housings of the above technical field are known in principle, for example from CN 212760 366 U and CN 212 760 331 U. Stand housings to date usually have a rectangular shape viewed along the rolling axis.

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 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, when a three-roller stand is used, 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” (). 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 CN 212 760 366 U 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.

For the operation of a stand, it is conventional to fasten peripheral devices to the stand. Furthermore, it has been found to be expedient, for precise setting of the caliber, to be able to adjust the rollers, in that these are for example mounted via an eccentric mechanism and thus the spacing thereof from the rolling axis is variable. There are various options for the adjustment, the details of which are not relevant in the present connection. In the cases of known stands, however, it is necessary both for different configurations for adjustment, specifically a remote adjustment configuration and a manual adjustment configuration, and for different peripheral devices, such as a roller guide or the like, to undertake laborious alteration work on the stand and the stand base that receives it, which relates in particular to the conducting of water or another cooling medium, and optionally compressed air for sealing the stand housing, through the stand housing.

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 of the stand within a rolling mill, and in particular a more flexible selection both of a position in the rolling mill and also of a configuration, with a simultaneously compact design of the rolling mill including a water line inside the stand housing.

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

A stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis has an outside having six side surfaces which, viewed along the rolling axis, form edges of a regular hexagon, an inlet side, and an outlet side. In this case, at least one water feed opening is arranged at three of the side surfaces which are in each case not adjacent, which opening is designed to conduct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening in the outlet side or in the inlet side.

This design of the stand housing makes it possible to use the stand housing in a particularly flexible manner within a rolling mill. The stand housing designed in this way can be converted between different positions in a rolling mill and between different orientations and between different configurations more easily than in the case of a stand housing from the prior art that comprises a water line.

In the present context, the side surfaces are the surfaces of the stand housing which laterally define the inlet side and the outlet side, through which the rolling axis extends. Together they form, viewed along the rolling axis, the lateral outer surface of the stand housing.

The side surfaces of the stand housing can serve as a contact surface, comprise a contact surface, or extend in parallel with a contact surface or a plurality of contact surfaces, for example formed by sliding rails, on which contact surface(s) the stand can stand in a stable manner, in particular in a stand base. 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.

The water feed openings at the side surfaces that are not adjacent are distributed over the side surfaces in such a way that at least every second of the side surfaces is provided with at least one water feed opening. In this case, it is also possible for all the side surfaces to comprise at least one water feed opening and for one or more of the side surfaces to comprise a plurality of water feed openings. The fact that three of the side surfaces that are in each case not adjacent comprise at least one water feed opening reflects the symmetry of the regular hexagon, and is provided above all for a stand housing comprising three rollers.

The water outlet openings in the outlet side or the inlet side, or in the outlet side and the inlet side, serve to output the water, conducted into the stand housing via the water feed opening that is connected in each case to the water outlet opening, to a peripheral device, for example a roller guide or a cooling device for the rollers of the stand.

Preferably, two parallel water feed openings are arranged on the three side surfaces that are in each case not adjacent, one of which openings, in each case, is designed to conduct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening in the outlet side, and the other of which, in each case, is designed to conduct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening in the inlet side.

The fact that the two mentioned water feed openings of the same side surface are oriented in parallel with one another has the advantage that connecting a water connection in a stand base, into which the stand housing is inserted, can take place with the same linear movement for both water feed openings. In this case, it is preferred for one of the water feed openings to be located close to the outlet side and the other of the water feed openings to be located close to the inlet side.

In particular, viewed along the rolling axis, the water outlet openings are located in each case on a perpendicular bisector of an edge of the hexagon. This preferred positioning of the water outlet openings on the perpendicular bisectors can particularly preferably be located on an extension of a roller plane, i.e. a rotation plane, in the direction of an associated roller on the closest edge of the hexagon. As a result, a water feed for a roller guide can be arranged in a space-saving manner.

Preferably, furthermore in each case an air connection is arranged at three of the side surfaces that are in each case not adjacent, which air connection is designed to conduct compressed air into the interior of the stand housing. An air connection for feeding compressed air into the stand housing, in order to seal said housing against water penetrating in an undesired manner, for example through bearings, is known in principle. The preferred embodiment of the stand housing makes it possible for the stand housing to be used efficiently and flexibly in the stand base of the rolling mill, without the advantage of a compressed air seal opposing this efficient use of the stand housing. As a result, a stand housing is provided that can be used particularly flexibly and is reliable.

In this case, the three air connections advantageously lead into a common cavity, the stand housing being designed to prevent outflow of the compressed air from one of the air connections through one valve, respectively. The three air connections can thus preferably be provided with a non-return valve or the like, in order on the one hand to offer the possibility that compressed air can be applied to the common cavity, for sealing, via all three air connections, without in the process on the other hand being restricted with respect to the flexibility of use of the stand housing in the rolling mill. The air connections of the stand housing that are in each case not connected to a compressed air system can close automatically via the respective non-return valve, or optionally manually in the case of a different valve, with respect to escaping compressed air.

Advantageously, the air connections are arranged on the same non-adjacent side surfaces as the water feed openings. This makes it possible to arrange the respective connections for water and compressed air close together on the side of the stand base, such that an overall efficient design of the rolling mill can result. It is also possible, however, for the air connections to be arranged on the side surfaces which are in each case adjacent to the side surfaces of the water feed openings.

Preferably, in each case one of the water feed openings and one of the air connections are oriented in parallel with one another and designed to be connected along the same direction. This makes it possible to ensure that these connections can thus be connected particularly reliably and efficiently to corresponding connections of the stand base at the same time as inserting the stand into a stand base and in the same insertion direction.

A preferred stand housing further comprises three bearing holes for mounting a roller shaft in each case, the bearing holes being made in one of the side surfaces so as to be offset about the rolling axis about a 120° rotation in each case, and the water feed openings being introduced into those side surfaces which do not comprise bearing holes.

This design of the stand housing can ensure that the water feed openings do not collide with the roller shafts or their stand base-side drive trains, and that efficient use is made of the installation space in the stand housing and in the stand base.

A preferred stand housing is closed and undivided and is in particular produced from a monobloc. In other words, the stand housing is preferably manufactured integrally and can therefore be produced for example by a casting method, as a result of which advantageous mechanical properties for absorbing the loads acting in the rolling process, and also efficient manufacture, are possible.

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

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° 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° 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° and°, 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 stand I to be combined with a roller guide and thus to be transferred to the entire system consisting of the stand I and 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 stand I in a stand base (not shown), in that the stand I can be pushed into the stand base on the sliding rails.-.and in this case the sliding rails.-.can also be used as scaling 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 stand I according 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 stand I in 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.

The roller adjustment connectoris attached to the coupling clamping region.and the clamping rail, associated therewith, on the stand. Due to the arrangement of the mounting elements.-.and the coupling clamping regions.,.,.on the stand housing, the roller guidecan be attached securely, precisely, and quickly to the stand housing.