Patent Publication Number: US-6217081-B1

Title: Device for coupling and uncoupling the media supply lines at bearing chocks of rolls, particularly back-up rolls, mounted in roll housings

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for coupling and uncoupling the media supply lines at bearing chocks of rolls, particularly back-up rolls, mounted in roll housings. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Coupling and uncoupling of media supply lines poses difficulties particularly in the flood lubricated bearings of cold rolling stands because the coupling connections of the bearing chocks are also always located on the drive side of the roll stand. Accordingly, access to these coupling connections is made difficult and requires substantial experience of the operating personnel. This is particularly true for the relatively large coupling elements of the oil discharge lines. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a device of the above-described type which makes it possible in spite of the described difficulties to couple the media supply lines with the coupling elements thereof quickly in a semiautomatic process to the connections in the bearing chocks and to uncouple them in the same manner. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the coupling elements of the media supply lines are arranged commonly in a carrier member so as to face the media connections in the bearing chock, wherein the carrier member is guided in a guide frame so as to be movable parallel to the direction of the adjustment movement of the bearing chocks, and wherein the guide frame is mounted in guide members connected to the roll stand so as to be movable in the axial direction of the rolls toward the bearing chock and away from the bearing chock. 
     In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the guide frame is composed of a pair of guide groove rails for the carrier member of the coupling elements constructed as a rectangular support plate, wherein the guide groove rails are connected above and below the support plate through transverse webs and the guide groove rails are with their ends slidably mounted on cantilever projections which are rigidly connected to the roll housing. This movement can be effected by means of a piston/cylinder unit arranged on the roll housing and connected to the guide frame. 
     In accordance with another useful feature of the present invention, a fixed centering bolt is provided at the outer side of the bearing chock, wherein the centering bolt can engage in a corresponding centering recess in the support member on which the coupling elements are mounted. For facilitating the coupling process, the coupling elements are mounted in a floating manner so as to be slightly transversely movable. 
     The device operates practically automatically. After the roll has been inserted into the roll stand, the support member is aligned by means of the centering bolt engaging in the centering recess relative to the bearing chock in such a way that the coupling elements mounted on the carrier member are located opposite the coupling connections of the bearing chock. After subsequently locking the rolls, the guide frame with the carrier member is moved by means of the piston/cylinder unit in the axial direction of the rolls toward the bearing chock and simultaneously the coupling elements of the media supply lines are coupled to the connections in the bearing chock. The stop provided at the bearing chock limits the movement of the guide frame. After the roll is unlocked, the carrier member follows the adjusting movements of the roll within the guide members of the guide frame. 
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
     FIG. 1 s a schematic axial sectional view of the device according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bearing chock  2  is guided together with the roll  3  in the roll housing  1  so as to movable up and down in the direction of the double arrow PF. Arranged on the roll housing  1  above the chock  2  are cantilever projections  4  in which a guide frame  5  is suspended so as to be slidably movable. This guide frame  5  has inner guide grooves  5   a  which face each other and in which the rectangular support plate is guided. The coupling elements  7  and  8  are mounted in this support plate  6 ; also provided in this support plate are two centering recesses  9  and a center opening  10 . 
     When the roll  3  is moved with its bearing chock  2  into the roll housing  1  as shown in FIG. 1, the roll journal  3   a  is moved through the center opening  10  and two centering bolts  12  rigidly arranged on the bearing chock  2  are inserted into the two centering recesses  9  of the support plate  6 . Subsequently, by means of a piston/cylinder unit  15 , the support frame  5  is pushed on the cantilever projections  4  toward the bearing chock  2  and the coupling elements  7  and  8  are simultaneously coupled to the media connections  13  and  14  of the bearing chock  2 . A stop member  11  limits the downward movement of the support plate  6  and ensures that the support plate  6  is in the correct position when the roll  3  is moved in. In this coupling position, the adjusting movements of the roll  3  with the bearing chock in the direction of arrow PF are transmitted through the centering bolts  5  and the centering recesses  9  to the support plate  6 . Consequently, the support plate  6  follows these adjusting movements guided in the guide grooves  5   a  of the support frame  5 . The uncoupling procedure is carried out analogously by moving the support frame  5  on the support or cantilever projections  4  away from the bearing chock  2  by means of the above-mentioned distance/cylinder unit, not shown. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.