Abstract:
A rod-shaped material is reciprocated along a conveyance line while being supported by a plurality of rollers. The material is allowed to pass through a rolling device disposed in the middle of the conveyance line a number of times for rolling operation during reciprocation or conveyance. A pair of rotating devices are disposed on both sides of the rolling device for varying the rolling angle of the material so that a desired rolling may be effected to the material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for rolling rod-shaped steel or other kind of metal by passing the material through a rolling device while moving the material in the horizontal direction and a method for rolling such material by using the rolling apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     One of the well-known methods of making rod-shaped material into a desired section (i.e., section steel or the like) or wire rod is as follows: A rod material is allowed to move along a conveyor line and pass through between a pair of rolls which are rotatably supported in parallel with each other and each of which is provided with a plurality of grooves of different depths at the circumference thereof so that each pair of corresponding grooves of the rolls provide a shape groove (so called &#34;caliber&#34;) to allow the material to pass therethrough. After the first rolling operation has been made in this way, the material is then received by a rotating device which has its central point of rotation in the conveyor line and rotates the material at 90° or other required angle. The material is then again allowed to pass through between the rolls which have been ready for receiving the material at a caliber different from that employed for previously receiving the material. Such a series of operations are repeated a number of times until a desired section is obtained. 
     Where the conventional type of rotating device is employed in such rolling operation, however, the need to pass the material with strict accuracy through the central point of rotation of the rotating device occasions some difficulty. 
     In addition, since the conventional type of rotating device is designed to rotate the material while supporting the whole weight thereof, a greater motive power is required for rotating the material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of this invention is to provide a rolling apparatus including a device for rotating a material to be rolled. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a rolling apparatus including a rotating device which is capable of rotating a material to be rolled even when the material having been conveyed has been allowed to pass therethrough in a deviation from a material-conveyor line, in other words, in an eccentric manner with the central point of rotation of the device. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a rolling apparatus including a rotating device which is capable of guiding a material to be rolled into a particular caliber of rolls while acting as a support for preventing the material from rolling over if the material has been unbalanced in weight when rotated by the device. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a rolling apparatus including a rotating device which is capable of supporting or holding a material to be rolled to rotate it without receiving the whole weight thereof, thereby requiring less power for rotating the material. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the following discussion of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partly-broken schematic plan view of a rolling apparatus according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partly-broken schematic elevational view of the rolling apparatus of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a rotating device used for the rolling apparatus of FIG. 1 with an outer frame thereof being shown as broken in part. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the rotating device of FIG. 3 with not only the outer frame but a drive mechanism used therefor being shown as broken in part. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross section of the rotating device of FIG. 4 taken on line V--V. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross section of the rotating device of FIG. 4 taken on line VI--VI. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross section of the rotating device of FIG. 4 taken on line VII--VII. 
     FIGS. 8(1) through 8(9) illustrates different explanatory views for the purpose of providing a clear knowledge of the rotation of a material to be rolled by the rotating device of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of rotating device different from that of FIG. 3 but with only the essential part thereof being shown. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a rolling apparatus 10 comprises a rolling device 11, conveyor systems 12a and 12b, rotating devices 13a and 13b, and work-path correcting devices 14a and 14b. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the group of conveyor system 12a, rotating device 13a and work-path correcting device 14a is opposite to the other group of conveyor system 12b, rotating device 13b and work-path correcting device 14b with the rolling device 11 between. The rolling device 11, conveyor systems 12a and 12b, rotating devices 13a and 13b, and work-path correcting devices 14a and 14b are all aligned along a substantially-horizontal conveyor line L. 
     The rolling device 11 includes a truck 16 having a plurality of wheels 17 to be moved along rails 15 by means of an actuator (not shown). A frame 18 is attached to the truck 16, and includes a pair of upper and lower rolls 19 disposed in parallel with each other. The rolls 19 each have a plurality of grooves 20, and each pair of two (upper and lower) corresponding grooves 20 of the rolls 19 provides a shape groove to allow a material to be rolled to pass therethrough. The upper and lower rolls 19 therefore provide a plurality of shape grooves. The upper and lower rolls 19 are designed to rotate in the opposite directions at all times during rolling operation by means of a drive mechanism (not shown), and each can be rotated in both directions thereby. 
     The conveyor systems 12a and 12b each include a plurality of rollers 27 rotatably connected to a support base 25 by bearings 26. The rollers 27 are aligned along the conveyor line L. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotating shaft of each roller 27 is connected to a drive motor 28 which is capable of rotating in both directions so that the roller 27 can be rotated in both directions. Side plates 29 are provided on both sides of the rollers 27 for preventing a material to be rolled or in process thereof from coming out of the conveyor line L on the rollers 27. The conveyor systems 12a and 12b each are provided with a cover 30 for preventing the material from being cooled (although only the cover 30 for the conveyor system 12a is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the rotating devices 13a and 13b each include a frame construction 31 having an outer frame 33 fixed on a base 32. A plurality of support rollers 34 are rotatably provided in the outer frame 33. A drive shaft 35 also is rotatably provided in the outer frame 33. The drive shaft 35 is provided with a support roller 36 which is adapted to rotate relative to the drive shaft 35. Inside the outer frame 33, a rotating frame 38 is so supported by the rollers 34 and 36 that the frame 38 may be rotated with the conveyor line L as a central point. The rotating frame 38 comprises a pair of discs 39 rotatably supported by the rollers 34 and 36 and connected to each other by a rotating drum 40 and an inner frame 41 extending through the discs 39. The drum 40 is provided with a sprocket 42 at the outer circumference thereof. A sprocket 43 also is provided at the circumference of the drive shaft 35 so that a rotating force produced by the drive shaft 35 is transmitted to the drum 40 by means of a chain 44 which connects the two sprockets 42 and 43. It is to be noted, however, that the sprocket 42 does not necessarily need to be provided on the drum 40, but a rotating force may be transmitted from the drive shaft 35 to the drum 40 by a frictional force being produced between the outer surface of the drum 40 and the chain 44. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drive shaft 35 is connected to a motor 46 through a reduction gear 45, which motor 46 is capable of rotating in both directions so as to rotate the drive shaft 35 in either direction. 
     The inner frame 41 of the rotating frame 38 is provided with a pair of support frames 50a and 50b rotatably connected thereto by shafts 51a and 51b, respectively. The support frames 50a and 50b each have a free end, and a pair of work holders 52a and 52b are rotatably disposed at the free ends thereof, respectively, which holders 52a and 52b each have an axis extending in the direction perpendicular to the conveyor line L. The support frames 50a and 50b are also provided with pins 53a and 53b, respectively, which extend through holes 54a and 54b (FIG. 5) provided at the upper and lower portions of the inner frame 41, respectively. Adjacent to the inner frame 41, a hydraulic cylinder 55 is connected to the end of upper pin 53a projecting from the upper hole 54a at the upper end thereof, and also connected to the end of lower pin 53b projecting from the lower hole 54b at the lower end thereof, so as to move the upper and lower support frames 50a and 50b relative to each other so that the distance between the frames 50a and 50b may be varied as required. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the work-path correcting devices 14a and 14b each comprise a pair of locating plates 60 and shifting means 61 connected thereto. The locating plates 60 are adapted to move over the rollers 27 in the directions indicated by arrows, i.e., with the conveyor line L between the respective shifting means 61 so that the distance between the plates 60 may be varied for correction or adjustment of the path of work if the work or material (to be rolled) being conveyed along the conveyance line L happens to deviate from the line L, in other words, for the returning of the work to the line L is such a case happens. 
     Rolling operation by the rolling apparatus according to the invention is started as follows: A material S (FIG. 8) heated in a heating furnace (or not heated in case of cold rolling) is conveyed from the left side (as indicated by arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2) on the rollers 27 (rotated by the motors 28) of the conveyor system 12a. For rotating operation, the rotating device 13a has previously been prepared for receiving the material S with the upper and lower work holders 52a and 52b being spaced apart from each other (FIG. 8(1)) by extending the hydraulic cylinder 55 (FIG. 6). The material S is then allowed to enter into the rotating device 13a, and when the forward end of material S has passed through the space between the work holders 52a and 52b and projected therefrom onto the work-path correcting device 14a, the operation of motors 28 of the conveyor system 12a is discontinued so that the rollers 27 stop rotating, thereby stopping the material S from moving. 
     Rotation of the material S by the rotating device 13a is then made as follows: The hydraulic cylinder 55 is so retracted that the upper and lower work holders 52a and 52b take hold of the material S (FIG. 8(2)) therebetween by such a force or pressure as allows the material S to slide on and between the surfaces of holders 52a and 52b in the directions parallel with the axes of the work holders 52a and 52b. Incidentally, although the holding force or pressure of the work holders 52a and 52b is widely varied according to such factors as the weight, size and kind of the material S and type of rolling (hot or cold), it may be set at, e.g., 700 kilograms for a particular material to be rolled under particular conditions. However, if any material to be rolled is to be held by the work holders 52a and 52b so that no sliding of the material is allowed thereon, the holding pressure thereof is set at a greater value depending upon the weight of material and the frictional coefficient between the material and holders. For example, if a steel material having a weight of 1 ton is to be held at one end by the holders 52a and 52b in such a manner and when the frictional coefficient therebetween is 0.5, the holding pressure of holders is set at approx. 2.5 tons. When the material S has been slidably held by the holders 52a and 52b as previously mentioned, the rotating frame 38 (FIG. 6) is then actuated by operating the motor 46 so that the holders 52a and 52b are rotated in the direction indicated by arrows of FIG. 8(2) together with the material S being held therebetween, as shown in FIG. 8(3). If it happens that a force of raising the material S above the rollers 27 (on which the material S is resting) is applied thereto during the process of rotation thereof by the holders (FIGS. 8(2) to 8(3)), the material is not raised by that force, but allowed to slide on the surfaces of the holders in the axial direction thereof, so that the greater part of weight of the material remains supported by the rollers 27. Therefore, it requires only a relatively smaller motive power from the motor 46 to rotate the holders 52a and 52b or rotating frame 38. Another advantage is to be noted here in that the holders 52a and 52b, depending upon the action of the cylinder 55 in their relative movement to each other, are free in their relative movement to the inner frame 41 inside the frame 31. During the process of rotation of the material by the holders, therefore, if the center of material in the axial direction thereof comes out of the central point of rotation of the rotating frame 38 (FIG. 8(3)), which is the same as the center of the conveyor line L, the holders follow closely such a movement of the material and continue to take hold of the material in the same manner as before as shown in FIG. 8(3). 
     When the material S has been rotated in this way, the holders 52a and 52b are then allowed to decrease the holding pressure against the material, but without going to the length of allowing the material to roll over. The decreased pressure may be, for example, 400 kilograms or so. 
     If the material S has been deviated from the conveyor line L during the above-mentioned process of rotation, which is the case in FIG. 8(3), the material S is returned onto the conveyor line L by the work-path correcting device 14a as follows: The cylinders 61 (FIG. 1) are so actuated that the locating plates 60 are moved inwardly as shown in FIG. 8(4), thereby moving the material S on the rollers 27 in the axial direction thereof to return the material S onto the conveyor line L. When the material is returned in this way, the work holders 52a and 52b follow closely the returning movement thereof so as to continue to take hold of the material in the same manner as before. Although the material is returned onto the conveyor line L by both locating plates 60 being moved toward each other in FIG. 8(4), the material may be returned thereonto by only one plate (the left one in FIG. 8(4)) being moved inwardly. 
     During the above-mentioned process of rotation of the material S (followed by returning the material onto the conveyor line where required), on the other side, the rotating device 13b is prepared for receiving the material S by so rotating the rotating frame 38 that the work holders 52a and 52b are rotated through an angle (FIG. 8(5)) suitable for taking hold of the material therebetween. In this preparation, the hydraulic cylinder 55 for the rotating device 13b is so extended as to space the work holders 52a and 52b apart from each other. 
     After the material S has been returned onto the conveyor line L by the work-path correcting device 14a, the motors 28 (FIG. 4) for the conveyor system 12a are again operated to rotate the rollers 27, causing the material S thereon to move to the right side (in FIGS. 1 and 2) again. Although the material S, when re-conveyed in this way, is in unbalanced condition in weight, the material is prevented from rolling on the rollers 27 in the axial direction thereof since the material remains supported by the work holders 52a and 52b of the rotating device 13a. That is, the material is moved while being guided by the holders 52a and 52b. The material is then allowed to enter into the rolling device 11 waiting for the material to come into a particular shape groove thereof. 
     When the material S has been thus rolled and come out of the rolling device 11, the material is conveyed to the right side (in FIGS. 1 and 2) on the rollers 27 in the conveyor system 12b. And when the forward end of the material has passed through the space between the work holders 52a and 52b in the rotating device 13b, the cylinder 55 for the device 13b is so retracted that the holders 52a and 52b take hold of the material (FIG. 8(5)) by such a force as allows the material to continue to pass through the space therebetween, but does not allow the material to roll on the rollers 27 in the axial direction thereof. After the material has been rolled by the device 11 at the entire length thereof and the whole length of material has come onto the rollers 27 in the conveyor system 12b, the motors 28 for the system 12b is stopped from operating, thereby stopping the material from moving on the rollers 27. 
     The material S, when rolled in the above-mentioned process, is subject to quite a great pressure applied by the rolls 19 of the rolling device 11, and it may therefore happen that the forward end of the material is deviated from the conveyor line L when coming out of the rolling device 11. However, the work holders 52a and 52b are in a position to take hold of such a material having come from the device 11 in a deviated manner therebetween with no difficulty since the holders are free in their movement relative to the inner frame 41 inside the frame 31, thereby waiting for the material at the receiving position. 
     When the material S, at the whole length thereof, has come from the rolling device 11 onto the rollers 27 in the conveyor system 12b with a portion thereof being taken hold of by the work holders 52a and 52b in a loosened manner, the cylinder 55 for the rotating device 13b is further retracted so that the material is taken hold of by the holders in a faster manner, but by such a force as allows the material to slide on and between the surfaces of the holders in the axial direction thereof. The motor 46 is then operated to actuate the rotating frame 38 so that the holders 52a and 52b rotate the material in the direction indicated in FIGS. 8(5) to 8(7). During this rotating process, the material is allowed to slide on and between the surfaces of the holders so that the greater part of the weight of the material remains supported by the rollers 27 in the conveyor system 12b. As a result of this rotation, corners 65c and 65d (not 65a and 65b which have already been rolled) of the material form the top and bottom thereof, respectively (FIG. 8(7)). In the event the material has been deviated from the conveyor line L as a result of rotation, which is the case in FIGS. 8(6) and 8(7), the cylinders 61 of the work-path correcting device 14b is so actuated that the locating plates 60 are moved toward each other to return the material onto the conveyor line L (FIG. 8(8)). 
     During the above-mentioned process of rotation as shown in FIGS. 8(5) to 8(8), the work holders 52a and 52b follow closely the rotating movement of the material and continues to take hold of the material. 
     During the above-mentioned process of rotation of the material S by the device 13b (followed by returning the material onto the conveyor line L where required), the rolling device 11 is allowed to shift by moving the truck 16 along the rails 15 so that a shape groove 20 different from that used for the previous rolling operation is located or prepared on the conveyor line L for receiving the material with corners 65c and 65d forming the top and bottom thereof, respectively. Also, during the above-mentioned process, on the other side, the rotating device 13a is so prepared or adjusted that the material, when having come from the rolling device 11 or returned therefrom, may be received and taken hold of by and between the work holders 52a and 52b in the device 13a. In this preparation, therefore, the holders are spaced apart from each other. 
     After operation of the rotating device 13b and workpath correcting device 14b, shifting of the rolling device 11, and preparation of the rotating device 13a have all been completed, the holding pressure of the work holders 52a and 52b of the rotating device 13b against the material is decreased, and the motors 28 for the conveyor system 12b is then operated again, but in the opposite direction, so that the material S is allowed to pass through the rolling device 11 receiving the material by a different shape groove of the rollers 19 from that used for the previous rolling operation. Having been further rolled in this way, the material is allowed to come from the rolling device 11, and when the backward end of the material has passed through the space between the work holders 52a and 52b of the rotating device 13a, the cylinder 55 for the device 13a is so retracted that the material is taken hold of by the holders in a loosened manner, i.e., by such a force as allows the material to continue passing the space therebetween, but does not allow the material to roll on the rollers 27 in the axial direction thereof. The material is then conveyed to the left side (in FIGS. 1 and 2). 
     The material S is completely rolled by repeating the above-mentioned entire process of the rolling operation a number of times with different shape grooves 20 of the rolling device 11 being located on the conveyor line L as required. When the rolling operation has thus been completed, the material S is allowed to move in the direction indicated by numeral B in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the essential part of another embodiment of rotating device including a pair of support frames 50ae and 50be each of which has work holders 52ae and 52be at both ends. The support frames 50ae and 50be further include pins 53ae and 53be, respectively, which extend through holes 54ae and 54be provided through an inner frame 41e, respectively. A cylinder similar to that used in the previous embodiment is connected to the pins 53ae and 53be, but not shown in FIG. 9. 
     In this second embodiment of rotating device, the material to be rolled may be taken hold of by the four work holders 52ae and 52be. In this embodiment, therefore, the holding operation may be made in a more stable manner. 
     As many widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thereof, it is to be understood that an invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.