WIRE ROD BLOCK

Abstract: A wire rod block equipped with a pair of grooved rolls (8), each of which is solidly fixed to the freely extending end (6) of an individual shaft (5). The free shaft end (6) of at least one of the shafts (5) can be moved towards and away from that of the other shaft to set the rolling gap between the rolls (8). The shaft ends (6) can be swung towards and away from each other in the same plane and after setting of the rolling gap are directed essentially counter to each other.

Description: WIRE ROD BLOCK The present invention relates to a wire rod block equipped with a pair of grooved rolls cooperating as rolling means. Presently wire having a diameter of 5.5 mm is rolled in blocks of this type at the comparatively high speed of 100 m/sec. The known blocks differ somewhat of course as to design, but they have the common feature that the rolling work is done between the two rolls provided with rolling grooves, said rolls being solidly fixed to a free end of an individual rotationally driven shaft, said free end extending from a housing common to both shafts. The reason for this is that the interior of the block can be maintained intact since all the required replacement of rolls can be done on the outside without any need to open the blocks, which could result in contamination because of the dirty rolling mill environment. Contamination of the interior of such a wire rod block could have catas¬ trophic consequences since we are dealing with a high speed machine. Developments in the rolling mill industry are however going towards higher and higher rolling speeds in order to achieve lower production costs. This especially ap- plies to wire rolling. Multigroove wire rolling mills have been replaced by single groove mills with increased rolling speed. In response to these developments, study of the possibil- ities of further increasing the final wire rolling speed within the scope of known technology has led to the real¬ ization that known wire blocks with the common basic features described above have too many rotating parts and b-βa-rrings to permit a further increase in speed. It has alsrx prcveά be the case that an optimum rolling process quires a. relatively small roll diameter. This means in turrn tϊtøfc the roll shaft diameter, i.e. the diameter of the shafts carrying the rolls is also reduced since the maximum conceivable roll shaft diameter is equal to the roll diameter minus the bearing thickness. Taken as a whole, these various circumstances will mean that a sub¬ stantial increase in the roll speed of these known wire blocks with the common basic characteristics described here will result in such a great load on the bearings that the accompanying temperature rise therein will be unacceptable. The small roll shaft diameters will result in greater deflection of the shafts and thus very large deviations in wire dimensions. In a known wire rod block with the above common basic features, and in which the two shafts extending from the common housing can be moved as a whole towards or away from each other while retaining a parallel relation to each other, there is the additional disadvantage that elevated rolling speeds will result in unacceptable vib¬ rations as a result of the simultaneously increased rot¬ ational speed in the complicated transmission arrange¬ ment, which is required in this wire block to achieve the required parallel displaceability of the shafts. Another problem caused by the parallel displaceability of the shafts is the seal arrangement between the block housing and the roll shafts radially displaceable in re¬ lation thereto. This sealing arrangement is already so complicated and expensive for the roll speeds now used that it' could hardly be employed for still higher roll speeds in the future. Our older Swedish patent application 8502010-5 describes the advantages of being able to roll at lower tempera¬ tures. This increases the resistance to deformation and thus the roll pressure to such levels that the known wire blocks cannot withstand the loads. Therefore the purpose of the present invention is, starting from known wire rod blocks equipped with a pair of grooved rolls cooperating as rolling means, and solidly fixed to a freely project¬ ing end of an individual rotationally driven shaft, to describe a new and improved block for wire rolling, which obviates the described problems and makes it possible to significantly increase rolling speeds. Such a new and improved wire block according to the in¬ vention, which fulfils this purpose, is primarily char¬ acterized in that at least the free end of one shaft is movable towards and away from that of the other for sett¬ ing the rolling gap between the rolls. By arranging the roll-bearing free ends of the shafts movable relative to each other, the roll shaft diameter in a wire block made according to the invention can be selected free from the limitations affecting the known wire blocks, so that their bearings can be optimized both with regard to loads and speed and without at the same time requiring compli¬ cated and expensive sealing means for the block housing, since the shafts do not move radially in relation to th ' eir housing. In a particularly simple and easy-to-use embodiment of a wire block according to the invention, the two roll- -carrying free shaft ends can be swung towards and away from each other in a single plane. This pivotability makes it possible to arrange the two free shaft ends, after the rolling gap has been set, to be directed es¬ sentially counter to each other. Operationally, a very simple and reliable gearing arrangement is sufficient for each roll shaft. Each roll shaft together with its asso¬ ciated simple gear box can suitably be mounted in a sur¬ rounding housing from which only the free shaft end ex¬ tends, said housing being of simple shape and free of any complicated sealing arrangements, since only relatively easily sealed rotary bearings are used. In a particularly suitable embodiment in which the two shafts are each ro- tatably journalled in an individual housing containing a gearing arrangement, the output element being nonrota- tably joined to the shaft journalled in the housing and the input element being nonrotatably joined to an input shaft to the housing, significant design advantages are achieved if the two houses are arranged, for setting the rolling gap, pivotable about the axis of their respective input drive shafts. In an embodiment of this wire block according to the in¬ vention particularly suited for practical use, the hous¬ ings are arranged to be individually pivotable on a com¬ mon frame in relation to which their pivot positions can be set by means of a force-absorbing setting means coupled between the housings and the frame. Wire blocks according to the invention can thus be arranged in hori¬ zontal and vertical sequences adapted to the groove ser¬ ies of the rolling mill. The input drive shafts can then either be coupled to each other or be arranged as a single long drive shaft, thus synchronizing the operation of all the blocks from a primary gear box in the conven¬ tional manner. The invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows in a partially cutaway perspective view to a particulary suit¬ able embodiment of a wire rod block made according to the invention. As can be seen in the drawing, the embodiment shown here of a wire block according to the invention has a common frame 1, on top of which two bearing brackets 2 are mounted at different levels. A substantially pear-shaped housing 3 is pivotably mounted in each of these bearing brackets. The pivot positions for these housings relative to their bearing brackets and the frame supporting them can be set by means of setting means coupled between the housings 3 and the frame 1 in the form of hydraulic, mechanical turnbuckles or similar means with adjustable length. The housings 2 are suitably cast in nodular iron and are made as two symmetrical halves, between which a driven shaft 5 is: rotationally journalled with a smaller dim¬ ension shaft end 6 extending freely from each housing. A roll aid 8. with a roll groove 7 about its circumference is solidly fixed to each shaft end. The two rolls coop¬ erate during- the operation of the block. The free shaft ends 6, as a result of being mounted in the housings piv- otable relative to the bearing brackets and the frame, are movable, in accordance with the invention, towards and away from each other for setting the size of the rolling gap between the rolls. In the embodiment shown here, the two shaft ends 6 are pivotable towards and away from each other in a single plane. After setting the desired rolling gap between the grooved rolls 8, the two freely extending shaft ends 6 are at least essentially directed counter to each other. In other words, the roll shafts 5 in the embodiment shown here of a wire block according to the invention are di¬ rected essentially counter to each other when the block is in its operational state. The roll 8 carrying shafts 5 rotationaly journalled in the housing 3 are driven by means of a gearing arrange¬ ment at the wider end of each housing. The output ele¬ ment, in the form of a pinion 9, is solidly fixed to the shaft 5 journalled in each housing 3. The input element 10 in the form of a bevel gear is nonrotatably joined to a drive shaft 11 entering each housing. All of the bear¬ ings are of hydrodynamic type, due to the very high runn¬ ing speeds and great bearing pressures. The pivotability of the housings 3 for setting the roll¬ ing gap- and for swinging out the housings for changing the rolls 8 is- achieved by a projection 12 extending la¬ terally from each housing half, journalled in a bearing bracket and surrounding the bearing for the drive shaft, whereby the houses are pivotable about the axis of the input shafts for setting the rolling gap. Between said projections 12 on the housing halves, which projections actually have the shape of short, thick journals, and the cooperating bracket lug there is suitably an inlaid plastic layer as a sliding bearing pushing. The invention is not limited to the example described here and shown in the drawing but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the patent claims.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 2 March 1987 (02.03.87); original claims 1-5 replaced by amended claims 1 and 2 (1 page)] 1- Wire rod block equipped with a pair of rolls (8) provided with rolling grooves and cooperating as rolling means, each of said rolls being solidly fixed to a freely extending end (6) of an individual rotationally driven shaft (5), the free end (6) of at least one shaft (5) being movable towards and away from that of the other shaft to set the rolling gap between the rolls (8), the two roll-carrying free shaft ends (6) are pivotable towards and away from each other in the same plane and-jafter the rolling gap has been set, directed at least essentially counter to each other, characterized in that the two shafts (5) are each rotatabl journalled in an individual housing (3) containing a gearing arrangement (9, 10), the output element (9) of which is nonrotate- ably joined to the shaft (5) journalled in the housing, the input element (10) being nonrotatably joined to a drive shaft (11) entering the housing, said housings (3) being pivotable, for setting the rolling gap, about the axis of the respective input drive shafts (11)- 2- Wire rod block according to claim 1, characterized in that the housings (3) are arranged to be individually pivotable on a common frame (2, 1) in relation to which their pivot positions can be set by means of a force-absorbing setting means (4) coupled between the housings and the frame-

Inventors: DANIELSSON KURT, DANIELSSON, KURT
Applicants: MORGAARDSHAMMAR AB, CENTRO-MORGAORDSHAMMAR AB
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B21B1
IPC codes: B21B13, B21B31