Background of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for removing the residual parts of coils in strip rolling plants, and also relates to a device for carrying out this process.
When rolling strip in single and multi-stand rolling mills it is necessary to interrupt the rolling process before the complete coil has been rolled, in order to be able to remove the residual part of the coil from the rolling unit.
This applies especially when rolling coils without spools where the residual part of the coil is damaged by the coil clamping facilities on the uncoiling reel and is therefore unsuitable for further rolling.
In practice the residual part of a coil is either removed directly from the unwinding reel by means of a crane fitted with clamping jaws or by means of a coil trolley with jacking facilities.
Other units are fitted with independent transportation facilities below ground level, which lower the residual part of the coil from the uncoiling station by means of a jacking facility. The residual part of the coil can then be transported by conveyor facilities to a suitable place for removal.
Such independent units for removal of the residual part of rolling coils, situated and operating outside the mill require a relatively large area and special safety measures. In addition, they are not suitable for retro-fitting existing rolling mills.
If the residual parts of the coils are removed using the vehicle for transporting the whole coils, then there is, unavoidably, an interruption in the rolling process, which interferes with the production sequence and the performance of the rolling mill.
The known independent facilities for residual coil removal situated below ground level do overcome the above mentioned disadvantages. They are however complicated and are therefore technically complex, for which reason they are found to require a great deal of maintenance and repair.
Summary of the Invention
The object of the present invention is to overcome the above disadvantages and to design a process and device such that on the one hand the operating sequence of the rolling process is interrupted only briefly and on the other hand the technical means used for that purpose are simpler and consequently easier to maintain and operate. Furthermore, it should be mills using relatively simple means.
This object with respect to the process is achieved by way of the invention in that during a first stroke i.e. stage I of the process a new coil is taken from the coil store by a coil transporter and driven to the region near the uncoiling reel, at the same time the residual part of the rolled coil is removed from the uncoiling reel by means of a trough working in conjunction with the coil transportation vehicle and the new coil to be rolled installed by advancing the coil transportation vehicle into the region of the uncoiling reel and mounted on this in preparation for threading into the rolls. In a second process stroke, stage II, the coil transportation vehicle and also the trough for receiving a new coil and delivering the residual part of the rolled coil move back to their starting position.
According to a further feature of the present invention, it is advantageous if the horizontal movements of the coil transporter and the trough to receive the residual part of the coil are synchronous in distance and in time, and if the vertical movement of the coil engaging facility and the trough for holding the residual part of the coil constitutes a subsequent program.
Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to extensively automate the whole process sequence in such a way that the stopping of the rolling mill and the subsequent shearing of the sheet or strip as well as the threading or feeding-in of the sheet of strip of a new coil are controlled in coordination with the first stage in the process.
The manner of carrying out the process in accordance with the invention overcomes the numerous difficulties and disadvantages encountered up to now. It shortens in particular the non-production time of the mill by the smooth interaction of the various operations, especially the sequence of movements involved in the delivery of a new coil, the removal of the residual part of a coil and the feeding-in of the new coil. This is achieved by coordination of movement and timing.
The device for carrying out this manner of process is based on a known coil transportation device in the form of a coil transportation vehicle and is characterized by way of comprising essentially of a trough that can be raised and lowered, is for the residual part of the coil, is situated on the mill stand side of the coil transportation vehicle, and can be moved horizontally in synchrony with the latter both in terms of time and distance. Further advantageous features will be apparent hereinbelow.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Further details and features of the invention are described more specifically in the following with the aid of an exemplified embodiment and the drawings wherein:
FIGS. 1-4 represent a schemtic representation of the entry side of a rolling mill showing an example of the device for removing the residual part of a coil, shown here in four consecutive stages of operation.
FIG. 5 represents a diagrammatic example of the sequence of movements of a coil transportation vehicle and the corresponding movements of the device for removing the residual part of a coil; and
FIG. 6 represents an example of an independently driven device according to the invention for removal of the residual part of a coil.
Detailed Description
Shown in FIG. 1 is the first phase of the operation for removal of the residual part of a coil. On rolling mill 1, the rolling of coil 3 on uncoiling reel 2 is coming to an end. The coil transporter 4 with the device for removing the residual part of the coil mounted on it, including jacking device 5 and coil transportation trough 6 is in the process of transporting a new, yet to be rolled, coil 7 from the coil store 8 to the uncoiling reel.
In FIG. 2 the whole mobile unit is standing at the uncoiling reel. This reel is stopped, the residual part 3 of the coil is supported by the trough 6 and the strip sheared as indicated.
FIG. 3 shows the new coil 7 to be rolled mounted on the uncoiling reel 2 and the strip fed into the rolling mill 1; at the same time the coil transportation vehicle 4 with the residual coil removing device 5, 6 and the residual part of the coil 3 has started its return movement in the direction of the coil store 8.
FIG. 4 shows the last phase of the process: the coil transportation vehicle 4 stops briefly at a particular point; and the jacking facility 5 raises the residual part of the coil 3 to the position at which it can be removed quickly and without difficulty. Finally the coil transporter 4 moves to the left and takes the next coil 7 to be rolled from the coil store 8. The process is repeated further in the manner described.
FIG. 5 illustrates by way of example the movements made by coil transporter and the device for removing the residual part of the coil.
The upper diagram shows the sequence of movements experienced by a point for example on the coil transporter 4; the lower diagram represents the movements experienced by a point on the jacking facility 5 of the device for removing the residual part of a coil. The distance A corresponds to the span of the distance between the axles on the coil transporter and the device.
The points indicated by the crosses indicate the positions "removal of coil residue" and "depositing the coil residue".
Shown in FIG. 6 is an example of another version of the invention. There the device for removing the residual part of a coil features a vehicle 9 that can run on rails 10. As a result it can move independent of the coil transporter 4. The horizontal and vertical movements of both units are appropriately synchronized.
This form of the invention makes it possible to retrofit rolling plants that are equipped with another kind of coil transporter.