Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02363585 2001-11-19
DEVICE FOR SEPARATING SLIT STRIP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for separating
especially rolled metal strip which is longitudinally slit into
at least two strips, wherein the two strips are conveyed to a
strip coiling device, for example, a coiling reel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Materials which have been rolled in roll stands into more or
less thin or wide strips are longitudinally divided into narrower
strips for further processing as necessary, wherein the narrower
strips are coiled and are made available as narrow coils for
shipment and for further processing. The wide strips are usually
longitudinally divided in so-called strip cutting machines.
Longitudinally divided or longitudinally slit strip has the
tendency to travel one on top of the other in subsequent plant
units. Consequently, there is the danger of damage to the edges.
In addition, when the strips are coiled, a clean separation of
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the individual coils or rings must be carried out. Accordingly,
it must be ensured that the produced narrow strips can be
threaded without manual manipulations in the correct position and
cleanly separated from each other into the reel slot of a coiling
reel. Furthermore, a good strip guidance must be ensured in front
of the separating device as well as following the separating
device up to the reel in order to avoid damage to the edges.
Devices for separating longitudinally divided strip are
known in the art. Using a so-called Diabolo roll, the strip
halves are driven apart from each other by means of a convex
roll. Driving the strip halves apart takes place in an
unregulated and uncontrolled manner. Separating disks are known
for mechanically separating the strip halves, however, these
separating disks may cause damage to the edges. Also known in the
art are devices for cutting out a middle strip which results in
an undesirable loss of material.
German Patent Application 1 627 328 discloses a method for
longitudinally dividing a rolled metal strip into at least two
strips. In accordance with this method, the strip travels between
the last stand of a hot rolling train and the subsequent reel
through two pairs of drive rollers which are arranged at a
distance from each other. The metal strip is longitudinally
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divided in the space between these two drive rollers after the
beginning of the strip has entered the reel using slitting knives
which can penetrate the strip. Alternatively the slitting knives
could also be replaced by laser radiation. The scrap at the edges
resulting from longitudinal cutting is discharged laterally,
maybe comminuted or separately reeled.
DF 19S 44 237 A1 discloses a strip guiding system for a
strip cutting machine with a circular knife shear as the cutting
tool for longitudinally cutting especially relatively thick strip
material. The strip guiding system includes an integrated
clamping slot press-on device, a strip end holding device and a
partial strip discharge device. Arranged following the circular
knife shear is a strip decelerating device. Also provided is a
separating device in order to guide the strip beginnings in the
correct position from the bottom side. After the threading-in
procedure of the strip into the reel slot and after hydraulically
tensioning the strip beginnings, a hydraulically operated
pressure roller is placed on the strips, so that the movably
mounted transition at the reel slot can adjust to the respective
strip thickness of the material to be coiled. The strip guiding
system disclosed in this document is technically relatively
cumbersome and cannot be universally used.
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SUb~ARY OF THE INVENTION
Starting from the prior art discussed above, it is the
primary object of the present invention to provide a device for a
preferably regulated separation of slit metal strip in which the
strips are prevented from traveling on top of each other, wherein
damage to the edges is prevented, and wherein a clean separation
of the individual strips coiled into rings is achieved.
Ir_ accordance with the present invention, the device for
separating slit metal strip in a controlled manner is composed of
at least one separately controllable driver provided for each
slit strip.
The already slit metal strip is guided through the drivers.
The widths of the rollers of the drivers are selected in such a
way that each partial strip can be separately controlled by a
driver. If the strips are divided several times, a corresponding
number of drivers is provided. Each driver is provided with a
device for strip control.
In accordance with a further development of the invention,
the driver configuration is placed on a sliding frame. In
addition, the threading device (deflecting driver and threading
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table) is placed on the sliding frame. During the threading-in
procedure of the slit strip, the device is moved back in
accordance with the growing coil on the coiling reel against the
strip travel direction at a constant distance from the outer
diameter of the coil. This makes it possible to place the control
device of the drivers always as closely as possible to the
winding point. This counteracts the tendency of the divided
strips to travel on top of each other again. This also
facilitates the separate coiling procedures.
The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims
annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages,
specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to
the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated
and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a top view of a driver arrangement for slit metal
strip according to the present invention; and
Figs. 2a to 2d show a sequence of positions of the
arrangement for coiling and controlling a metal strip which is
divided in the middle.
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DESCRIPTION OF T8E PREFERRED EMBODIbIENTS
Fig. 1 schematically shows in a top view the driver
arrangement for divided middle strip 1, 1' which is conveyed with
a defined distance 2 between the strip halves in the strip travel
direction 3 to a coiling reel, not illustrated in detail.
Provided for each slit strip 1 or 1' is a driver 4, 4' with a
currdsponding roller axis 5, 5' and drive roller bodies 6, 6'.
The drivers 4, 4' are arranged one behind the other as seen in
the strip travel direction 3. Each driver 4, 4' is equipped with
a device for strip control which is not illustrated in detail.
The width of the rollers of the drivers 4, 4' are selected in
such a way that each slit strip 1, 1' is separately controlled by
a driver 4, 4'.
Figs. 2a to 2d are elevational views showing different
positions during coiling/controlling a metal strip which is
divided in the middle. For example, the strip thickness BD is 0.4
to 3.0 mm and the strip width BB is 600 to 2,060 mm. The strip
speed VmaX is about 600 m per minute. The threading-in speed into
the reel is, for example, V~aX = 50 m per minute.
The Figures of the drawing show two drivers 4, 4' which are
arranged on a sliding frame 7. Also arranged on the sliding frame
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7 is a threading device 8 with deflecting driver and threading
table. The sliding frame 7 is slidable with respect to its
position by about 2,200 mm by means of, for example, a
piston/cylinder unit 9. The coiling frame 10 is mounted
stationary on the foundation 11 behind the sliding frame.
Fig. 2a shows the position P1 in which the coiling process
for the split strip 1, 1~ is inspected. Fig. 2b shows the
position P2 of the sliding frame 7 in which threading of the
split strip 1, 1' into the reel slot takes place. Fig. 2c shows
the position P3 of the sliding frame 7 in which coiling is
finished. Fig. 2d shows the position P4 of the sliding frame at
the start of the coiling process.
During the threading process, the entire device mounted on
the sliding frame 7 is moved back in accordance with the growing
coil on the coiling reel 10 against the strip travel direction 3
at a constant distance from the outer diameter of the coil. This
makes it possible to have the control drive unit always placed as
closely as possible to the coiling point. This makes it
advantageously possible to prevent the divided strips 1, 1~ from
traveling on top of each other again which, in turn,
significantly facilitates the separate coiling process for each
metal strip.
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While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles,
it will be understood that the invention may be embodied
otherwise without departing from such principles.
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