Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE lNV~N-LlON
This invention relates to a protected assembly of
enclosed peripheral devices for use with a Steckel mill.
BACKGROUND OF THE lNv~N-lloN
Reversing rolling mills (hereinafter referred to as
"Steckel mills") for use in the rolling of steel require
peripheral equipment to be located on either side of the Steckel
mill. Conventionally included in the peripheral equipment is a
pair of pinch rolls to advance the leading edge of the strip of
steel being rolled into the bite or kissing point of the
reduction rolls, a descaler, and thickness and profile gauges
(typically x-ray gauges). Frequently, only a thickness gauge is
provided upstream of the Steckel mill, whilst both thickness and
profile gauges are provided on the downstream side of the Steckel
mill. These gauges measure the thickness or profile of the strip
being rolled for the purpose of providing feedback to govern the
rolling operation, and to ensure that the strip being rolled will
meet customer specifications.
Heretofore, it has been the conventional practice to
design and install each of these peripheral devices as an
independently designed and installed device.
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Partly because of the reversing characteristic of a
Steckel mill requiring a strip to be moved alternately in
upstream and downstream directions through the Steckel mill, and
partly because of the inherent risk of an unruly rogue steel
strip, the smaller peripheral equipment is subject to damage.
Further, in order to reduce the heat loss of the strip being
rolled, the coiler furnace should be located as close as possible
to the Steckel mill, yet it is necessary to make room for all of
the items of peripheral equipment mentioned and sometimes other
items (e.g. an edger) between the coiler furnace and the Steckel
mill, so longitl]~; n~l space along the length of the rolling line
next to the Steckel mill is at a premium.
Consequently, for the foregoing reasons, mill designers
prefer to keep to a m; n; mllm the number of peripheral devices
located between the Steckel mill and the coiler furnace on either
side of the Steckel mill, and to attempt to make some of the
peripheral units do double duty where possible. Thus, for
example, the descaler could be used to provide a cooling water
spray of the sort that would normally be applied relatively
gently over a relatively large surface area of the steel being
rolled for the obtention of preferred metallurgical properties.
This is in contrast to the normal operation of a descaler unit,
which provides a concentrated high-pressure spray for the purpose
of knocking scale off the strip being rolled. Requiring the
descaler nozzles to do double duty saves space, but at the
expense of quality of product.
SUMMARY OF THE lNV~L. ~lON
The invention is an enclosed protected multi-purpose
assembly of peripheral devices for use with a Steckel mill. The
assembly is positioned between the pinch rolls and the Steckel
mill on either side of the Steckel mill, and includes at least
one strip measuring gauge, descaler nozzles, and controlled
cooling spray nozzles, the nozzles, of course, being connectable
to suitable water supply headers. Protective structural steel
barriers are preferably mounted adjacent the nozzles and the
measuring device to protect them from damage.
Desirably, the measuring gauges are arranged as modular
devices transversely removable from the as~embly.
Desirably, the measuring devices are located as close
as possible to the Steckel mill reduction rolls so that readings
of the steel strip thickness and profile can be taken immediately
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before and immediately after entry of the steel strip through the
reduction rolls of the Steckel mill.
Desirably, the frame for the assembly is immediately
adjacent the frame in which the pinch rolls are mounted, the
pinch roll frame itself serving as a protector for the more
fragile peripheral elements within the assembly, and also
optionally serving as an auxiliary frame on which to mount some
of the protective barriers for the peripheral devices. Further,
the steel strip is usually under control (i.e., not unruly) as
it passes through the pinch rolls. The fact that the steel strip
is constrained in its ,,,ove,,,ent by the pinch rolls, itself affords
a measure of protection for the peripheral units located
immediately adjacent the pinch rolls.
This unitary design approach permits all of the
aforementioned peripheral devices to be located closely together
as parts of a single integrated design and, because of this,
tends to free up enough space (as compared with conventional
designs) that an array of controlled cooling spray nozzles can
be included within the assembly without taking up additional
rolling-line space (as compared with conventional designs),
thereby permitting controlled cooling spray nozzles to be used
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in lieu of descaler nozzles for the obtention of preferred
metallurgical properties of the steel strip passing through the
unit.
SU~QIARY OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic elevation view of a Steckel
mill and coiler furnace arrangement having an exemplary unitary
peripheral assembly constructed in accordance with the present
invention placed on either side of the Steckel mill.
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the unitary
assembly of Figure 1 constructed in accordance with the present
invention.
Figure 3 is an end elevation view of the assembly of
Figure 2, partly in section.
Figure 4 is a section view of the assembly of Figures
2 and 3 taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section view of the assembly of Figure
2, taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.
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Figure 6 is a section view of the assembly of Figure
2, taken along line 6-6 of Figure 4, but not including what is
particular to Figure 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS
The apparatus shown in Figure 1 includes a Steckel mill
generally indicated as 11, provided with a frame 13 in which a
pair of reducing work rolls 15 and associated back-up rolls 17
are rotatably mounted. Table rolls 19 positioned as required
drivingly support the slab or strip of steel being rolled, both
upstream and downstream of the Steckel mill.
An upstream coiler furnace 21 and a downstream coiler
furnace 23 are located immediately upstream and immediately
downstream respectively of the Steckel mill 11 within the limits
imposed by the need to interpose some equipment between the
Steckel mill 11 and each of the coiler furnaces 21 and 23.
Illustrated by way of example are x-ray gauges 25, spray nozzles
27, and pinch rolls, the upstream pair of pinch rolls being
designated as 31 and the downstream pair designated as 33.
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Rotatably mounted within coiler furnaces 21, 23 are
winding drums 51 for the steel strip, which is guided into
engagement with a drum 51 by means of a suitable conventional
pivoting guide (not shown). Fixed upper shields 45 and pivoting
lower gate extensions 47 are arranged to span as much as possible
of the distance between the coiler furnaces 21, 23 and the pinch
rolls 31, 33 respectively.
In operation, a strip of steel from the upstream side
of the Steckel mill 11 enters the bite between reduction rolls
15, is reduced in thickness and, if sufficiently thin, is then
directed via pinch rolls 33, gate extension 47, and guide 49 into
engagement with drum 51 within coiler furnace 23, whereupon the
strip is wound up on the drum 51.
This procedure is reversed when the coil of strip steel
is paid out of coiler furnace 23, reduced by Steckel mill 11, and
wound up into coiler furnace 21.
The apparatus shown in Figures 2 through 6 is an
exemplary unitary peripheral assembly 20 that is located upstream
of the Steckel mill 11 between the Steckel mill 11 and the
upstream coiler furnace 21. A very similar mirror-image
arrangement of what is illustrated in Figures 2-6 will be found
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on the downstream side of the Steckel mill 11 between the Steckel
mill 11 and the downstream coiler furnace 23. On the downstream
side of the Steckel mill 11, there may be some other peripheral
equipment required, such as a conventional edger unit (not
shown). The downstream x-ray gauge 25 should measure the profile
of the strip after it exits any downstream edger rather than
before it exits such edger, and, consequently, the downstream
peripheral assembly 22 and pinch rolls 33 should be located
between any such edger and the downstream coiler furnace 23.
Note that the interior space of the unitary assembly
20 is open, thus providing an unobstructed pathway within the
assembly 20 through which the steel product being rolled may
pass.
Note that Figure 4 illustrates the combination of the
unitary assembly 20 and the pinch roll assembly 10 in which pinch
rolls 31 are mounted, illustrating contiguous and overlapping
frame elements. However, the pinch roll assembly 10 is not
illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Referring now in detail to Figures 2 to 6, a frame 10
for pinch rolls 31 journalled in end bearing assemblies 12 is
mounted on an underlying support frame 14. A conventional
mechanism (not shown) is provided to adjust the bite between the
pinch rolls 31 according to the thickness of the steel strip
passed between the pinch rolls 31. The support frame 14 and
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pinch roll frame 10 may also serve to support structural elements
of unitary assembly 20, which is located immediately downstream
of the pinch roll frame 10, and preferably contiguous therewith.
Unitary assembly 20 comprises side walls 16 and transverse end
5 beams 18 (Figure 6) forming a frame about the following
peripheral units:
(i) an upper x-ray gauge assembly 25 and mating lower x-ray
gauge assembly 26 located within protective x-ray gauge housings
78, 80 respectively;
(ii) a spaced array (longitudinally and transversely) of
upper and lower controlled cooling nozzles 27 supplied by
associated water supply headers (conduits) 22; and
(iii) a transversely aligned and spaced upper and lower
descaler nozzles 24, to which high-pressure water is supplied via
15 associated water supply headers (conduits) 28.
The various nozzles 24 and 27, and the water supply
headers 22 and 28 associated with them, are suitably supported
by side walls 16 of the frame. Obviously, enough space must be
20 provided between the upper and lower sets of nozzles 27 and 24
to permit the steel strip being rolled to pass therebetween.
Should a rogue of sheet steel happen to collide with
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any of the constituent devices within the unitary assembly 20,
considerable and perhaps irreparable damage to them could ensue.
Consequently, to protect the interior peripheral elements,
suitable structural steel barriers are fixed in position. In
particular, a vertical transverse barrier support plate or beam
30 (Figure 4) affixed to the downstream end of pinch roll frame
10 supports a horizontal protective plate 32 stretching across
the entire longitudinal length of the frame ~ide walls 16 and
terminating in an upper end vertical transverse protector plate
34 that protects X-ray gauge 25. The vertical protective barrier
34 is also fixed to and supported by side frame element 16 that
in turn is supported by and projects upwardly from underlying
support frame 14. A suitable cavity 36 is provided in plate 32
to permit an x-ray beam to pass freely between upper and lower
x-ray gauge units 25, 26. The horizontal plate 32 provides rigid
support for end plate 34.
Downwardly projecting from horizontal protective plate
32 is an auxiliary vertical transverse protective beam 38
immediately downstream of the most downstream controlled cooling
nozzle 27 and associated water supply header 22.
Horizontal protective plates 40, 42 are located ; mmeA; -
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ately above x-ray gauge units 25, 26 respectively. The
protective plate 42 may be provided with angled edge portions 44
to provide further protection for the lower x-ray gauge unit 26.
Centrally located within the protective plate 42 is an aperture
46 to permit the x-ray beam to pass freely between upper and
lower x-ray gauge units 25, 26. Plates 32, 38, 40 and 42 are all
suitably affixed to and supported by side frame elements 16.
For the purpose of further shielding and protecting the
nozzles 24, 27, x-ray gauge devices 25, 26 and any other
relatively fragile elements within the unitary assembly 20, a
series of horizontal and vertical baffle plates or aprons or
deflectors are provided. (The term "deflector" tends to be used
for those plates lying above the path of travel of the steel
strip, and the term "apron" tends to be used for those plates
lying below the path of travel of the steel strip.) These
include the horizontal transverse plate 42 already mentioned,
vertical longitudinally oriented aprons 61 (some of which have
longer portions 65 and shorter portions 63 between which is
mounted the horizontal plate 42), and vertical longitudinally
oriented deflector 69. Exemplary ones of each of these vertical
aprons and deflectors have been identified by the associated
reference numerals, but it is to be understood that an array of
about a
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dozen or more such vertical plates may be present in order to
provide protection for the various operating elements (such as
the nozzles 27 and x-ray gauges 25, 26). Each of the vertical
aprons and deflectors 61, 69 is transversely spaced apart from
its neighbour transversely sufficiently to enable nozzles 24, 27
or other pieces of equipment to be placed therebetween. The
nozzles 24, 27 are thus seen to be occluded or shrouded by the
apron and deflector plates 61, 69 so that they are protected from
collision with a rogue strip of steel being rolled. Such
collision will tend not to destroy the nozzle arrangement (etc.)
but instead, the rogue strip will tend to be deflected by the
aprons and deflector plates 61, 69. The plates 61, 69 are
supported by suitable transverse support plates or beams such as
the support plates 18 and 71 of Figures 5 and 6.
The side walls 16 of unitary assembly 20 define the
side edges of the assembly 20 beyond which the ends 62 of cooling
water headers 22 project and ends 64 of descaler supply headers
28 project.
Preferably the x-ray units 25 and 26 are located as
close as possible to the Steckel mill 11 so that measurement of
the steel strip thickness or profile, as the case may be, can be
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obtained as close as possible to the reduction rolls 15 of the
Steckel mill 11. The descaler nozzles 24 should preferably be
located closer to the coiler furnace than the other peripheral
devices within assembly 16 in order that scale be removed well
before the steel strip reaches the Steckel mill 11. The cooling
nozzles 27 should operate on descaled plate, and the x-ray gauges
25, 26 should measure descaled strip, so both the cooling nozzles
27 and the x-ray gauge units 25, 26 should be located between the
Steckel mill 11 and the descaler nozzles 24. This preferred
spatial sequence tends to determine the arrangement of peripheral
units within assembly 20. Note that the descaler nozzles 24 and
cooling nozzles 27 do not both operate simultaneously.
Again, because the x-ray gauge units 25, 26 should be
positioned as close as possible to the Steckel mill 11, it
follows that the pinch rolls 31 and associated frame 10 should
be located between the peripheral unit assembly 16 and the coiler
furnace 21, rather than between the peripheral unit assembly 16
and the Steckel mill 11. Furthermore, it is desirable that the
steel strip be constrained from movement both upstream and
downstream of the relatively fragile peripheral elements, and
this is possible when the strip is constrained on one end of the
peripheral unit assembly 16 by the Steckel mill reduction rolls
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15 and on the other side of the peripheral units by the pinch
rolls 31. These considerations dictate the positioning of the
pinch roll frame 10 between the coiler furnace and the fragile
peripheral units. The pinch rolls 31 also determine the vertical
position of the strip being rolled and constrain it within a
predetermined path of travel.
The unitary assembly 20, with its protective plates and
frame elements, also inhibits unfocussed water spray, thereby
tending (desirably) to minimize the amount of water tending to
enter the coiler furnace.
Variants of the foregoing will readily occur to those
skilled in the technology. The scope of the invention is as
defined in the appended claims.
