Patent GB-1149651-A (GB)
Title: Rolling metal particles for the continuous production of a rolled section such as strip
IPC: B22F3/18
Filed: 1966-04-19
Abstract: 1,149,651. Rolling metal powders. SCHLOEMANN A.G. 19 April, 1966 [15 Dec., 1965; 17 Feb., 1966], No. 17050/66. Heading B5A. [Also in Division C7] In a gravity fed horizontal roll mill, the residence time of unheated or heated metal particles in a guide funnel terminating immediately above the roller nip, is maintained constant. The process may be applied to wrought-iron. With aluminium, the rolling may occur in air or, with steel, under a protective gas. A furnace may immediately precede the mill and either the feed to the furnace, the mill roll speed, or the discharge from the furnace to the rolls may individually or jointly be regulated to maintain a constant filling height in the guide funnel. The regulation may be effected manually, upon observation of the feed height through a telescopic device, or automatically, whereupon the feed height may be sensed by a device including a radio-active isotope and an indicator tube or Geiger counter arranged in either side of the feed or, alternatively, a light source and photo-electric cell; electrical conductivity or capacity may also be utilized. The rolls may be fed from a pusher type or a continuous heating furnace. Preferably the feed to the furnace is set at a higher than required rate and the feed at the rolls is maintained constant by diverting a portion of the discharge from the furnace by a pivoted flap valve, or a wedge (Fig. 3, not shown) which is displaceable across a feed shaft above the funnel, or alternatively, by a conical shaped section of the feed shaft (Figs. 4 and 5, not shown) which is either slidable or pivotable out of alignment. In the arrangement shown, the feed height above the roll nip is maintained constant by a regulating device Re which balances the measured feed height Fi against a desired feed height F8 to alter the speed of the roll motor drive M up to the limit thereof, whereupon a vibratory actuating device An of the feed to the furnace O is adjusted by a signal Dk determined by the balance between an observed feed rate Di to the furnace and a desired feed rate thereto SD which is altered by a signal K from the regulating device . Be; the furnace feed is maintained higher than required with the excess feed to the rolls diverted by a flap valve RM controlled by the regulating device Re. The vibrating feed device to the furnace is supplied from a hopper Z, the filled height whereof is also maintained constant by a regulator Br which compares a signal from a height measuring device Mb with a desired value Bs and automatically alters the discharge Pa of metal particles from a storage bunker B via a conveyer F to the hopper Z. In an alternative arrangement (Fig. 2, not shown) a rotary tubular furnace (1) is fed by a vibrator (12<SP>1</SP>) which is supplied by a conveyer belt (19) feed from a hopper (11); the conveyer speed and the mass thereupon are measured and the product of signals proportional thereto are compared with a desired value (S) in a regulator (Ra) whereby the conveyer speed is altered to maintain a constant feed rate. The apparatus may also incorporate means for producing the metal particles from a liquid melt. The feed funnel between the furnace and rolling mills may be surrounded by thermally insulating walls.