Apparatus for connecting a pressing die to a support in an upsetting press

An upsetting press for width reduction of rolled stock, in particular slab width reduction in hot-rolled wide strip mills, includes supports (2) for pressing dies (1) located along opposite slab edges. The pressing dies (1) are detachably connected to the supports (2) by at least one elongated prestressable tie rod (3) rotatably mounted in each support (2). The tie rod (3) has a hammer shaped tie rod head (5) which engages in a recess (6) in the pressing die (1). The recess (6) is open on one surface for receiving the tie rod (3) so that the head abuts against and holds the pressing die against the support (2).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for detachably connecting 
pressing tools or dies to a support in an upsetting press for width 
reduction of rolled stock, particularly a slab width reduction in 
hot-rolled wide band strip mills with the upsetting press having supports 
for the pressing dies facing toward one another along opposite edges of 
the slab. 
A pressure of the type mentioned above for slab width reduction in a slab 
casting installation is disclosed in DE-OS 25 31 551. The pressing die for 
slab reduction is mounted on a support. The pressing die and support are 
moved by a forked connector bar driven by a shaft with a worm gear. Such 
an arrangement is present for each unit. The worm gears mesh with worm 
wheels wedged onto eccentric shafts. The pressing die is directed against 
the slab edges by rotation of the eccentric shafts. The pressing die and 
the support are connected together by a dovetail-shaped groove into which 
a clamping strip for mechanical clamping of the parts can be inserted. 
Such a connection of the pressing die and the support does not permit a 
rapid automatic replacement of the pressing dies. Furthermore, it should 
be noted that the pressing dies in upsetting presses can weigh several 
tons and that die replacement requires manual operations even if a crane 
is used and can expose maintenance personnel to considerable danger, since 
the manual operations take place in a very confined interior space of the 
upsetting press. 
In another reshaping apparatus disclosed in De-OS 1 627 421 serving as a 
hammer as well as a press for reshaping stock, the pressing die is 
connected to the support, the so-called tup or ram and countertup or ram, 
with the help of a dovetail-shaped groove. The replacement of a worn die 
by a new die is also difficult in such an apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved 
connection between the pressing die or tool and the support for such die 
in an upsetting press of the type mentioned above. The die can be removed 
from the support by automatically operated connection elements located in 
the support and the die can also be clamped in the same manner on the 
support. Manual handling of heavy tools by operating and maintenance 
personnel is eliminated in the dangerous regions of the press. 
In accordance with the present invention, the connecting apparatus for 
securing a pressing die to a support in an upsetting press of the type 
mentioned above is characterized by at least one prestressable tie rod 
with a hammer shaped tie rod head rotatably mounted on the support for 
engagement in a recess in the pressing die with the recess open on one 
side and shaped for receiving the tie rod head so that the head abuts the 
support. This arrangement affords the connection and disconnection of the 
pressing die in the upsetting press in a simple manner. Contrary to the 
conditions in the replacement of dies or tools in known upsetting press 
arrangements, it is unnecessary to move the entire unit made up of the die 
or tool and the support out of the press and possibly out of the moving 
system. 
In a preferred arrangement of the present invention, recesses in the 
pressing die are arranged in a backup flange extending along both long 
sides of the die facing the support. As a result, the contact surface of 
the die at the support is increased and several tie rods can clamp the die 
on both long sides, so that a tilt-free connection with the support can be 
established. 
Another feature of the present invention involves at least one additional 
recess in at least one backup flange of the pressing die into which a 
relief or spotting bolt attached to the support can be fitted. This 
feature facilitates the replacement of the pressing die, since the tie rod 
head can be fitted very precisely into its assigned recess and can be 
placed in bearing contact with the abutment surface of the flange. 
Another improvement with respect to exchanging the pressing die involves 
the arrangement of spray nozzles through which a cleaning agent under 
pressure can be directed in the region of the connection of the tie rod 
head to the abutment surface of the pressing die. Such spray nozzles 
provide the removal of scale or other dirt particles deposited on the tie 
rod head and in its associated recess, whereby the tie rod head can be 
easily loosened and turned in the recess. 
In accordance with the present invention, for satisfactory guidance, the 
tie rods are supported in guide bores in the support. This arrangement 
protects the tie rods against the radiation of heat emanating from the 
slab. Additional advantages provided by the invention involve a tensioning 
cylinder connected with the tie rod for mechanically prestressing the rod 
and also hydraulically unloading or relieving the rod. In addition, a 
twisting or turning arrangement is provided in engagement with the tie 
rod. The technical relationship of the tensioning cylinder, the separate 
turning device, and the tie rod connection enable completely automatic 
releasing, tensioning, clamping and exchange of the pressing die on the 
support, without the need for operating personnel to perform manual 
operations in the replacement of the pressing die in the upsetting press. 
Another feature of the exchange or replacement arrangement is that a 
regulation or actuation piston is connected with tie rod and is arranged 
in a tension cylinder. One end surface of the piston forms part of a 
cylinder space in which a hydraulic medium acts while the other end face 
of the piston bears against a prestressing spring system, preferably a 
spring washer package. With this arrangement, operating personnel can 
apply high pressure to the hydraulic medium space of the tension cylinder 
by an active control signal from a control stand located externally of the 
upsetting press. Accordingly, the actuating piston can be displaced by an 
amount, against the force of the spring package, sufficient to displace 
the hammer head of the tie rod from the abutment surface on the pressing 
die and to turn the rod, so that the position of the hammer head registers 
with the opening into the recess. The turning of the hammer head is 
effected in another advantageous feature of the invention by a turning or 
rotating device including a rocker or rotary lever fastened to the tie 
rod. The rocker is connected with a travel controlled displacement 
arrangement, preferably a piston cylinder unit. As a result, the steps of 
"loosening the tie rod head from the pressing die" and "turning the tie 
rod head into alignment with the opening in the recess in the pressing 
die, that is, turning the head on the abutment surface" can be carried out 
separately. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which 
there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention 
.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In FIG. 1 a pressing die 1 is shown detachably connected to a support 2. 
The pressing face of the die 1 faces the edge of the slab, not shown. The 
pressing die 1 and the support 2 are part of an upsetting press of the 
type mentioned above, note shown in detail, for reduction of a slab width, 
particularly in hot rolled wide band strip mills, where the pressing die 1 
and the support 2 are arranged on both sides of the slab. The attachment, 
detachment and clamping of the pressing die 1 to the support 2 is effected 
by several tie rods 3 which abut backup flanges 4, 4' on the pressing die 
extending parallel to one long side of the die. Tie rod head 5 of each tie 
rod 3 is hammer shaped and engages into a recess 6 in the pressing die 
shaped to received the tie rod head and support head. The recess 6 is open 
on one side for receiving the tie rod head. The width of the recess 6 is 
somewhat greater than the diameter of the tie rod, however, it is clearly 
smaller than the projecting length of the hammer shaped head 5. In the 
region of the recess 6, an abutment surface or face 7 is provided on the 
backup flanges 4, 4' to afford a bearing surface for the corresponding 
planar surface of the hammer shaped head. The backup flanges 4, 4', 
containing the recesses 6, are located along the long sides of the 
pressing die facing the support 2. Tie rods 3 are rotatably positioned in 
guide bores 8 in the support and are supported therein in spacer bushes, 
not shown in detail. 
In FIG. 1 a tensioning or clamping cylinder 9 is located at the end of the 
tie rod 3 opposite to the tie rod head 5 and located externally of the 
support 2. The cylinder 9 is connected with the tie rod and bears against 
the support 2, so that the tie rod is clamped at both ends, that is, at 
the pressing die 1 and at the support 2. Tie rod 3 can be hydraulically 
relieved and mechanically prestressed by the tensioning cylinder 9. The 
tie rod 3 extends in its axial or long direction through the cylinder 9 
and a turning or rotating device 10 is connected to the rod outwardly from 
the cylinder. A regulating or actuating piston 11 is connected with the 
tie rod 3 and is located in the cylinder 9 with one surface 12 extending 
transversely of the tie rod axis forming a part of a cylinder space 13 in 
which a hydraulic medium acts. A prestressed spring washer package 15 acts 
on the opposite piston face 14 within the cylinder. The turning device 10 
includes a rocker or rotary lever 16 fastened to the tie rod 3 and 
extending transversely of the rod axis. The rocker or rotary lever 16 is 
connected to a travel controlled piston cylinder unit 17 which may be of 
conventional construction and, accordingly, is only shown 
diagrammatically. The cylinder unit 17 in FIG. 1 stands perpendicularly 
upon the plane of the paper. The cylinder unit 17 engages lug 30 of the 
rocker or rotary lever 16 which extends through a slot of said rocker or 
rotary lever 16 and outward from said rocker or rotary lever 16 as shown 
in FIG. 1. The lug 30 of the rocker or rotary lever 16 has a termination 
region having a width larger than the remainder of the lug 30. When 
activated by the cylinder unit 17, lug 30 of the rocker or rotary lever 16 
will move perpendicular to the plane of the paper, thereby causing the 
rocker or rotary lever 16 to revolve thereby causing the rotation of the 
tie rod 3 to which said rocker or rotary lever 16 is connected. In the 
region of the tie rod heads 5 contacting the backup flanges 4, 4', spray 
nozzles 18 are located for directing a cleaning agent under pressure with 
the nozzle axes oriented towards the connection of the tie rod heads 5 
with the pressing die 1. 
In FIG. 2, the pressing die 1 is shown in front view with recesses 6 in the 
backup flanges 4, 4' for receiving the tie rod heads. Furthermore, FIG. 2 
shows two adjacent or spotting recesses 19 in the flange 4', so that the 
pressing die 1 can be placed on two spotting or deposit bolts 20 when it 
is to be detached from the support or to be clamped to it by means of the 
tie rods 3. On each side of the pressing die extending transversely of the 
backup flanges 4, 4' there is a suspension bolt 21 on which a replacement 
device, not shown, engages for lifting the pressing die from the spotting 
or deposit bolts 19 in the upward direction out of the upsetting press or 
for installing a new pressing die. 
If a new pressing die 1 is to replace the die mounted on the support, 
because of wear, initially, a cleaning fluid, mostly water, is directed at 
high pressure by the spray nozzles 18 in the region of the tie rod heads 
5, the recesses 6 and the abutment surfaces 7 for removing scale and other 
adhering contaminating material located in such region. Subsequently, the 
cylinder space 13 in which the hydraulic medium acts is subjected to a 
pressure higher than the biasing force of the spring washer package 15 so 
that the piston 11 moves against the spring washer package and the tie rod 
head 5 is lifted slightly from the abutment surface 7. In this displaced 
position, the tie rod and its hammer-shaped tie rod head 5 is turned or 
rotated about the rod axis by the piston cylinder under 17 acting on the 
rocker or rotary lever 16 so the elongated direction of the hammer-shaped 
head register with the direction of the opening in the recess 6. In this 
position the pressing die is mechanically detached from the support 2 and 
rests upon the spotting or deposit bolts 20 which engage into the adjacent 
spotting recesses 19. Subsequently, a tool replacement device, not shown, 
can grip the pressing die 1 at the side suspension bolts 22 and remove it 
from the support. 
The installation of a new or replacement pressing die takes place in a 
reverse sequence to the steps just described. 
The new pressing die 1 is placed by the replacement device on the spotting 
or deposit bolts 20 and adjusted relative to the positions of the tie rod 
heads 5. The tie rod heads 5 are turned or rotated by the turning device 
so that the back surfaces of the heads face the abutment surfaces 7 of the 
recesses. Subsequently, pressure from the hydraulic medium in the cylinder 
space 13 of the tension cylinder 9 is released, whereby the displacement 
of the piston 11 and with it the tie rod 3 is effected by the spring 
washer package 15 so that the planar back face of the tie rod head rests 
or bears against the abutment surface 7 around the recess 6 and is biased 
by the pressure of the spring washer package against the abutment surface. 
The movement of the actuation or displacement piston 11 of the tension 
cylinder 9 and of the piston cylinder unit 17 are controlled by a 
hydraulic medium, so that a fully automated detachment and clamping of the 
pressing die 1 relative to the support 2 is afforded with the further 
possibility of automated tool replacement carried out from a control stand 
with the help of an appropriately configured tool replacement arrangement. 
As a result, the above mentioned task of the invention is carried out in a 
convincing manner. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described 
in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it 
will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without 
departing from such principles.