ROLLING FRAME AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING SAID ROLLING FRAME

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10,546,861, filed Aug. 23, 2005, by Wolfgang Denker, titled “Rolling Frame and Method for Adjusting Said Rolling Frame,” which is a national stage entry of International Application PCT/DE2004/000557, filed Mar. 12, 2004, which claims priority to German national application DE 103 12 122.6 filed Mar. 13, 2003, the entirety of which applications are expressly incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a rolling frame and a method for adjusting said rolling frame for rolling operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rolling frames usually comprise two roller housings with an adjustable roller setting as well as an auxiliary setting for achieving a constant fitting line. Determined by the construction, the housing window contracts when a rolling force is exerted. In case of different rolling forces, different clearances between the roller housings and the roller mountings are present in the housing window.

A universal rolling frame, comprising a closed frame for the vertical rollers and mountings for the horizontal rollers, which are supported at upper and lower cross members, has become known from DE 21 44 511 B2. The cross members are connected to one another by means of tractive spindles, which pass through the frame and are axially fixed and rotatably mounted in same, such that they—and thus the horizontal rollers—can be adjusted centrically to the rolling or fitting line. The frame sits directly on the base plate of the base.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,416 A discloses a six-high rolling frame with a horizontal offset of the working rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic object of the present invention is to create a novel principle of design for rolling frames, which are adjusted to a constant fitting line again and again without other auxiliary aids.

This object is accomplished according to the present invention by the combination of the following features:

The rolling frame, comprising four support columns, which are anchored in a fixed manner to a base plate and in each of which are arranged axially fixed, rotatably mounted tractive spindles, whose upper and lower ends are provided with threads running in opposite directions, which receive upper and lower cross members and by means of which the sets of rollers can be adjusted in opposite directions in relation to one another, whereby the support columns simultaneously guide roller mountings and receive bending blocks, and a short-stroke setting cylinder arranged between the lower reinforcing roller mounting and the lower cross member for exerting a rolling force, whereby a separation of the transmission of force to the rollers and of the guiding of the roller mountings is achieved by means of a separate arrangement of the tractive spindles and the roller mountings in the support columns.

Moreover, the object is accomplished by a method for adjusting the rolling frame with the features of patent claim 5.

Variants appear from the subclaims.

The basic mode of operation of the present invention is to move opposite parts towards one another or away from another uniformly (or nonuniformly) via a right thread and a left thread, respectively. Simultaneously, the operation of the transmission of the rolling force is separated from the “guiding the roller mountings” operation, as a result of which drawbacks, such as the contraction of the roller housing window, no longer occur. Consequently, the tendency to “hum” is also markedly affected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of the inventive rolling frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention shall be explained below on the basis of the drawing, whereby the FIGURE shows a partially cutaway, schematic lateral view of the rolling frame.

The design essentially comprises four welded support columns 1, which guide the roller mountings 2 and receive the tractive spindles 3. The tractive spindles, which transfer the rolling force via the upper and lower cross members 4 and 5, move same towards one another or away from one another. The support columns 1 are cast together with the base, i.e., the base plate 6 and are fastened by means of anchor bolts. The design for the rigidity depends on the loads to be expected through the roller mountings. The tractive spindles 3 with their right and left threads are positioned in the unloaded rolling frame. Only then is the rolling force adjusted by means of a short-stroke setting cylinder 7 and—as specified—introduced into the connecting rods by means of cross members in the operating state. The design depends on the maximum rolling forces to be expected. Self-locking in the rolling operation is guaranteed by the fine pitch in the thread, whereby the position can additionally be made certain by means of a brake in the adjusting drive. In the upper cross member 4 opposite the short-stroke setting cylinder 7, an additional, small setting cylinder (not shown) can be installed for smaller setting forces.

The tractive spindles 3 are driven by means of four synchronized individual drives or else by means of a drive with mechanical synchronism. The upper and lower cross members 4 and 5 are moved towards one another or away from one another depending on the direction of rotation of the tractive spindles. In this case, the AW [working roller] is always adjusted to a fitting line in case of the same roller diameter (StW [back-up rollers], ZW [draw rollers], AW [working rollers]).

All components are finished parts that are simple to machine. The low weights of the individual components for mounting are another advantage.