US3774831A - Steering roll assembly for continuous strip mill - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for centering strip moving continuously through a mill or processing line, comprising the combination with a steering roll assembly having a pivotally mounted frame for controlling the strip-steering action of a guide roll mounted thereon, of a mechanism for guiding the pivotal movement of the frame and for holding it against tilting movement by the tension in the strip travelling over the guide roll. The control frame is preferably in the form of a flat plate, and its guide mechanism comprises rollers engaged with opposite sides thereof which hold it in a plane perpendicular to its pivot axis.

Description

United States Patent 1 Paradine STEERING ROLL ASSEMBLY FOR CONTINUOUS STRIP MILL [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: June 26, 1969 [21] App]. No.: 836,711

Terry E. Paradine, Gary, Ind.

[52] US. Cl. 226/194, 226/196 [51] Int. Cl B65h 17/20 [58] Field of Search 226/196, 194, 21,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Frommer et a1. 226/21 Shelton 226/22 1 Nov. 27, 1973 3,422,649 l/1969 Lowy 226/21 X Primary ExaminerAllen N. Knowles AttorneyRobert J. Leek, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for centering strip moving continuously through a mill or processing line, comprising the combination with a steering roll assembly having a pivotally mounted frame for controlling the strip-steering action of a guide roll mounted thereon, of a mechanism for guiding the pivotal movement of the frame and for holding it against tilting movement by the tension in the strip travelling over the guide roll. The control frame is preferably in the form of a flat plate, and its guide mechanism comprises rollers engaged with opposite sides thereof which hold it in a plane perpendicular to its pivot axis.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENIEU-uuv'm 197s A /n/A ww, m? I Q INVENTOR. TERRY E. PARAD/NE A rtorney STEERING ROLL ASSEMBLY FOR CONTINUOUS especially adapted for centering steel strip being pro-,

cessed at high rates of speed.

The invention relates, more specifically, to a steering roll assembly of the type in which the strip is looped around and travels over a steering roll on a control frame, which is pivotally moved in opposite directions by conventional edge detector mechanism to move the steering roll thereon to a skewed position in which it is effective to steer the strip along a predetermined center-line. By reason of the strip being looped around the steering roll, the tension on the strip reacts against the pivotal control frame and tends to move it to a tilted position, and this in turn produces an inaccurate steer? ing operation. Tilting of the control frame by the strip tension in this manner produces a hunting action which causes the automatic centering mechanism to overshoot oroverreact in correcting the strip alignment, and at times results in the formation of wrinkles along the edges of the strip being processed; In the case of tin plate, damage to the surface of the tinned strip may occur. Adjustments to reduce the sensitivity of the centering mechanism have been resorted to for the purpose of eliminating hunting,-but have not proved effective in practice.

One of the principal objects of this invention, accordingly, is to provide an improved steering roll assembly in which the-pivotal control frame for the steering roll is positively held against tilting movement by the tension on the strip being'processed, to thereby obtain an improved strip centering'action and eliminate the formation of wrinkled edges on the strip. For this purpose, the steering roll assembly of this invention'is provided with a plurality of guide rollers, which have rolling engagement with opposite sides of the pivotal control frame, and operate to hold it against tilting movement by the tension on the strip travelling over the steering roll.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a steering roll assembly which is constructed in'accordance with invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the steering apparatus shown in FIG. I; and FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken substantially along the lines III-Ill and lV-IV of FIG. 2. The steering roll assembly shown in the drawings comprises a pair of laterally spaced and parallel steering rolls 2 over which strip '5, moving through a continuous strip mill or processing line, is looped and travels the principles of this in the direction indicated by the arrows, the strip moving to and from the rolls 2 respectively along pass-lines indicated respectively by the numerals 3 and 4. Opposite ehds of the rolls 2 are rotatably supported by bearings 5 on a control frame in the form of a flat plate 6, which is parallel to the axes of the rolls 2. The plate 6 is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pivot pin 7 that .extends vertically upwardly from a stationary base plate 8 which is secured by beams (not shown) to the framework of the mill. The pivot pin 7 forms part of the mounting of the plate 6 on the base plate 8 and, as best shown in FIG. l,its axis extends along side one of the rolls 2 in the plane of the pass-line 3 and is located centrally with respect to the ends of the steering rolls 2.

A fluid pressure motor 9 controls the pivotal movement of the plate 6 about the pin 7 and thereby the strip-steeringaction of the rolls 2. The motor 9 comprises an hydraulic cylinder 10 which is pivotally connected by a' bracket 11 at one end thereof to the base plate 8 and has a piston rod 12 projecting from its other end. A clevis l3 pivotally connects the outer end of the piston rod 12 to a bracket 14 projecting outwardly from the plate 6. Conventional edge detection mechanism (not shown) controls the operation of the motor ,9 and thereby the pivotal movement of plate 6 and the strip-steering action of the rolls 2. The apparatus thus far described is conventional.

By reason of the manner in which the strip S is-looped over the guide rolls 2, the tension on the strip S exerts an upward pull on the rolls 2 which tends to raise the plate 6, as viewed in FIG.'1 of the drawings, and tilt it about an axis extending transversely with respect to the axis of the pivot pin 7. Tilting movement of the plate 6 by the strip tension in this manner interferes with the steering action of the rolls 2, and as mentioned above produces a hunting condition on the part of the automatic centering control mechanism and at times causes wrinkles to be formed in the strip travelling over the rolls 2.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, tilting movement of the control plate 6 is prevented by a pluralityof guide rollers which have rolling engagement with opposite faces 15 and 16 of the plate 6. For this purpose, the upper face 15 is engaged by a pair of rollers 17 at the strip entry end of the plate 6, and by a pair of rollers 18 at the'strip exit end thereof. Similarly, the lower face 16 is engaged and supported by a pair of rollers 19 at the strip entry end, and by a pair of rollers 20 at the strip exit end. The rollers 17, 18, 19 and 20' operate to hold the plate 6 in a planar position in which it is parallel to the base plate 8 and perpendicular to the axis of the pivot pin 7, and thus against tilting movement by the tension on the strip S. This has been found to eliminate damage to the surface of tin plated strip and, as indicated above, corrects conditions causing hunting in the strip centering mechanism as well as the formation of wrinkles in the edges of the strip.

'As shown in the drawings, the rollers 17 are supported on the base plate 8 by brackets 21 and the rollers 18 are supported on the base plate 8 by brackets 22. To reduce friction caused by endwise sliding movement of the rollers 17 and 18 over the plate surface 15, the brackets 21 and 22 are preferably mounted on the base plate 8 in positions such that the axes of the rollers mounted thereon extend in the direction of and interrollers 20 are similarly mounted on the plate 8 in a posi- I tion such that the axes of the rollers 20 extend in a direction intersecting with the axis of the pivot pin 7 to reduce endwise sliding movement.

From the-foregoing'it will be apparent that the bottom rollers 19 and 20 in conjunction with the upper rollers l7 and 18 operate to firmly hold the pivotal plate 6 in a planar position and to guide its pivotal movement about the axis of its pivot pin 7. The plate 6 is thus held against tilting movement about an axis transversely of the axis of the pin 7 by the tension on the strip S moving over the steering rolls 2. The elimination of tilting movement of the plate 6 in this manner has been found effective to reduce hunting on the part of the automatic mechanism controlling the pivotal movement of the plate 6 and to provide and improved steering action by the rolls 2 and to reduce strip damage from these causes.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a steering roll assembly for continuous strip processing lines-including a pair of steering rolls mounted for rotation about parallel axes, a control frame having bearings spaced outwardly from opposite edges of the strip for rotatably supporting said rolls, said strip under tension passing around a substantial arc of the first of said rolls toward said frame and then around a substantial arc of the second of said rolls and away from said frame, and means for pivoting said control frame about an axis normal to the plane through the axes of said rolls and in the central transverse plane through said rolls, said frame axis being in a plane generally tangent to the first of said rolls on the strip approach side thereof, said pivoting means rendering said rolls effective to correct the path of movement of the strip through the processing line; the improvement comprising means for guiding the pivotal movememt of said frame and for holding it against tilt ing movement out of a planar position perpendicular to said pivot axis, said control frame including a plate spaced from said rolls, and said means for guiding the pivotal movement of said frame including a plurality of rollers in rolling engagement with opposite sides of said plate.

2. A steering roll assembly according to claim 1 including means mounting each of said rollers for rotation about an axis intersecting with and perpendicular to said pivot axis.

3. A steering roll assembly according to claim 2 in which said plate is horizontal and generally rectangular in shape, and in which one of said rollers is located adjacent each corner of said plate on the top and bottom thereof.

Claims (3)

1. In a steering roll assembly for continuous strip processing lines including a pair of steering rolls mounted for rotation about parallel axes, a control frame having bearings spaced outwardly from opposite edges of the strip for rotatably supporting said rolls, said strip under tension passing around a substantial arc of the first of said rolls toward said frame and then around a substantial arc of the second of said rolls and away from said frame, and means for pivoting said control frame about an axis normal to the plane through the axes of said rolls and in the central transverse plane through said rolls, said frame axis being in a plane generally tangent to the first of said rolls on the strip approach side thereof, said pivoting means rendering said rolls effective to correct the path of movement of the strip through the processing line; the improvement comprising means for guiding the pivotal movememt of said frame and for holding it against tilting movement out of a planar position perpendicular to said pivot axis, said control frame including a plate spaced from said rolls, and said means for guiding the pivotal movement of said frame including a plurality of rollers in rolling engagement with opposite sides of said plate.

2. A steering roll assembly according to claim 1 including means mounting each of said rollers for rotation about an axis intersecting with and perpendicular to said pivot axis.

3. A steering roll assembly according to claim 2 in which said plate is horizontal and generally rectangular in shape, and in which one of said rollers is located adjacent each corner of said plate on the top and bottom thereof.

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