Patent GB-970411-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the control of tension of moving elongate material ina rolling mill
Inventor: BAILEY WILLIAM HEAP
IPC: B21B37/50
Filed: 1959-12-03
Abstract: 970,411. Rolling. DAVY & UNITED ENGINEERING CO. Ltd. Dec. 5, 1960 [Dec. 3, 1959; March 4, 1960], Nos. 41103/59 and 7748/60. Heading B3M. A tension roller 16, Fig. 1, disposed between successive roll pairs 12, 14 of a strip rolling mill is loaded by one or more hydraulic cylinders 30 through a linkage system which produces a substantially constant tension over the range of movement of the roller 16. In one example the roller 16 is supported by arms 18 on a shaft 19 which is torsionally loaded by an hydraulic cylinder 30 pivoted at 31 and having a piston rod rack bar 29 engaging a pinion 26 on an arm 25 attached to the shaft 19, the pinion 26 also being engaged by a second fixed rack bar 27 pivoted at 28. The arrangement is such that the racks 27, 29 lie parallel to the strip 11 and the force on the rack 29 is proportional to the strip tension. A second hydraulic cylinder 51 is provided and has pressure applied to compensate for the weight of strip 11 supported by the roller 16 and is also used at a higher operative pressure to initiate movement of the shaft 19 out of the dead-centre position of the cylinder 30. In a modification a pinion 36, Fig. 3, loaded by an hydraulic cylinder 40 through a slide 42 and connecting rod 44 engages a pinion sector 35. A second cylinder 46 coupled to the sector 35 through a slide 48 and connecting rod 50 similarly compensates for the weight of strip and for movement of the pinion 36 out of its dead centre position at an initial higher operative pressure. In a further modification a pair of pinions 106, 106a, Fig. 8a, actuated by separate hydraulic cylinders 117, 117a engage a central pinion 86 coupled to the shaft 19. -With the roller 16 at its lowest position the cylinders 117, 117a act in opposition so that no load is applied to the roller 16. With the roller 16 raised, Fig. 8 (b) the crank angles #1, # 2  are such that the cylinders 117, 117a act either in unbalanced opposition or to assist one another to produce the required variable load on the roller 16 for substantially constant tension on the strip. With the arrangement the cylinders 117, 117a and support arms 101, 101a for the pinions 106, 106a are mounted on a common pivot 87 which may be moved vertically to positions A, B, C or intermediately as by rams 90, Fig. 6 (not shown) to vary the characteristics of the system. An hydraulic control system for the various cylinders may incorporate torsion meters and other instruments indicating strip tension and the position of the tension roller 16 so that the operator may adjust the speeds of the roll stands to restore the correct operating range. Electrical devices may also be incorporated to provide position error signals which adjust the mill according to the position of the roller 16 as it approaches its limits of movement. The control system also provides for the application of an initial high pressure to the cylinders 51, Fig. 1, or 46, Fig. 3, for deflecting the tension roller 16 to its operative position when the leading end of the strip has reached the following rolling stand so that tension may be applied. After reaching the required position the pressure is automatically reduced to that necessary to compensate for the weight of the strip. Specification 970,412 is referred to.