CA1283306C - Decelerator apparatus for hot rolled product - Google Patents

Abstract

Decelerator apparatus for hot rolled product.

ABSTRACT
Decelerator apparatus acting to reduce the distance over which lengths of hot rolled product slide before coming to a halt on leaving a rolling mill stand.
So as to avoid the use of pinch rolls or the like, the apparatus employs deforming means (16,18) acting on a leading length of said rolled product in a direction perpendicular to its length and means for shearing the length of product from a following length being acted on by said rolling mill stand whilst said deforming means are still in motion.

Description

33(~6 ~he i~ventio~ a~e~ to d~ el~r~0r ~pp ra~u~
~or hot ~ pro~ut~t b~in~ E~ro~u~a ~n ~ rollln~
mlll .
Rollad pro~uc:t ~nar~lly laav~s ~he ~inishing ~csnd o~ a rolll n~ mill a~ a s~aed rouç~hly ~nver~ely pro~or~ion~l ~o its ~ros~ s~c:~onal ~rea ~o a~ to maint~in ~ n~r ~8 po~sibl~ a con~t~nt rollin~ r~te in terms o~ tonn~ of f~nished ~ro~uot produoe~.
When roIl~d product iB d~l~ v~3re~ in ~tr~ight len~hs from th~ ~Inisnln~ ~t~ t i~ out lnto th~
leng~h~ requirlad anB t~ a then hztvf3 t~ be brolagh~
to r~a~t bia~or~ belnçJ tr~n~erred 3id~weys ~c:ros3 El ~oolin~ b~ad. }~owever, lt wlll ba uanCl~ar~tood that th~ ~maller ~he oross ~ec~lonal ~rea o$ the roll~d product, the grea~r 1~ the rolllnç~ ~peed Imd aon~uontly th~ gre~tsr i~ tl~l~ stoppl~g di~tanoa :; r~qulred before ~he l~sn~:hs o~ produG~ oan be~ movQd sld~way~ onto th~ c:oolinS~ bed. ~rher3 18 ObYàOUBly a praotic:al llm~ ~o th~ d~anse ovar whloh ths l~n0~h1 o~ p~oduot o~r~ be ell :>wefl to ~eo~ler tB and ~he ~lme thi~ kas whi~l he8 ~o b~ wlthi~ ths . cyola tlme o~ E~roduats be~n~ dslivered from ~he mlll le~a tim~ ~o~ the b-3d to ol~lr t~e ~lrst ,-~

~833~6 no~oh o~ ~he oool~ng bed. The re~ult 18 th~t ln many of the hi5~her E~ro~u~oh rolllng millEI lt i3 ound that th~ rc~ n~ r~t~ in te~ms c7~ tonna~
produoe~ per hour dr~p~ ~ub~t~ti ~lly when pro~ut:t o relativ~ly ~ all ~ sec:tl~ l area 18 being produc~d purs3ly be~usa o~ the l~l~h out~ut ~pQ~ of tha produ~t ~rom t~ nl~in~ E~t~nd.
Yarious a~empts have be~t~ ma~e ~o ~olve thls problem, For es~mple, ~o-c~ e~ ~oubl~ tins ~I?ron~ s~oaiatad wit~ wellklng baam typ~ ooolln5~
bQd~ have been used, an~ h~vQ r~d~lc~ e ~l~ding ~lm~ o~ th~ len~7th~ o~ produbt on th~ t~k~ o~
apron immadiately ~ollowlng the finlslSln~ st~n~ ~nd al 30 b~s~re ~he ~lr~ rake. Ifl oth~r word~, ~hs ; ~ 15 tot~l ~lltinç7 tlme oP ~ lens~th o~ rolled p~educ:t ha~ been ~h~re~ b~twaen th~ ~wo ~y3tem~, ~ut it~
; ~ a~t ~he over~ll 311dir~g dlE~tanc:e has not been ~eDted to any ~i~nl~ ant ext~nt . A mor~
po3i~1ve ~ lo~ no~ llmi~ed by tha ~rtc~on~l ~oro~
whlch oan ba ~en~ratQ~ by the we~ht of the produot on a supportln~ sur~ce ha~ been used, th:Ls lnvolvlng ~h~ ~rov~ ~lon o~ 30~ lled pinc:h roll~
b~twGon whi~h thQ lengthl3 o~ pro~uat a~t3r havlng be~3n ~h~or0~ ~o 1 en~th ~r3 tr~ n~ar to t~eir 2 5 baok ends ~n~, by virtu~ of the relativ~ly ~low rus~ning of ~al~l plnah 1:0118, ~lecel~x~t9~ ly ;

~833~6 gulakly. ~{ow~3~var, th~æ h~8 v~rious ~r~wb~ok~. For exam~l~3, lt la not easy ~o ~roTrid~ var~ ~bl~3 con~rc~lled deoeïerat$on wtlen u~lnç~ pinch rolls b~:auE~s they depen~ ul tlm~t~ly on in~t~rm~n~te ~ric~lonal conta~st 1~ d~forma~lon o~ ~hE3 roll~
produe:~ i8 ~o ~e minimi~d~, Fur~hermc~re, th~
los~ger the ~eQ~th of roll~d produot ~n~ ~he gr~3atsr lt~ walghtO COn~qu~ntly, t~ ~ ~7re~r 18 the re~auired pres~ure ~ppli~d to ~he ~ur~a~:e~ oiE the produot by t2~ plnal~ rolls. T~e r~3~ult 13 th~t some m~r)~in0 o~ th~ product i~ alw~y~ l~kely to ~ oeour an~ in E3ome o~ses the tra1lin~ en~ o~ ~
1~3n~ch o~ ~ro~u~ an b~ d~orme~. ~n ~a~t th~ t~ot roll3â preduc:t can be ~ull~ ~n two ~r ~averely nec:ked. For thiE~ rea~on the u~e o~ p1nch roll3 1~
u~ually li~ d ~o th~ productlon o rala~ively ~hor~ lsn5~tha o~ rolled produot of rounti cro88 ~otlon or ~ oro~s ~otlon o~ ~ome o~hs~ slmpla ~ha~.
A fu~rtha~ bra~c~n5J ~3viae wh~ c:n ~ae~ been u~d ~or ~h~a br~kir~g o~ lengths s3~ wir~ whlch have be~n produced ln a wire rolling mlll ha~ ~olude~ ~
numb~r o~ tll~a~le braking elemen~s equ1ppad w~th roll~rs, the deviae i~180 inc:lud~ n~ meohani~m ~03:
til~ing tha tilt~bl~ brlk~n~ element~ by a vari~ble amount. Such a ~avic:e EU18 been UB8t~ to b:c~ke th~3 ~833~

len~th~ o~ wir~3, ater ~h~ay have be~n ~h~ared ~o lan~th, thh br~klns~ e~ cst bç~lng produosd ~olely by the flexing o~ th~ wire ~ ~t ~a~es thrc~ugh the devloe~ ~n o~her word, the brak~nçr e~ea~ has been due to ~h~ de~c~rm~ion ~ the wlr6s ~n~ by the physlcal worlc which h~a b~6~n put t ~ato t2a~ mat by suah de~o~m~ti~n. ~or thls rea~o~, the ~moun~
o~ br~kin~ whlah can ~her~by ~e brought about by such a dev~ ~e on hot rolled 1~3ng~h~ o~ mat~rial o~
~' 10 relat~vely E~mall cross sec~on~ re~ i~ very ~m~ll in~leed ~ndl 1~ very 1~r~1y 1nd0~erminat~
The invent10n as a1a~mE~ intendel~ to prov1do a remedy. I~ ~o1ve~ the~ pro~lem o~ how ~co d~oe1~3rat~
1~3ng~ths o~ hot ro11e~ prc~duct ln ~ mos~
conv~3n~ent emd hl~hly ~e~rm1~ate m~n~r~
The a~varlt~ o~~r~d l~y th~ 1nYent10n a~e, mainly~ tha~ it prov1~e~ ~ m~hod of and m3sns ~or d~ce1eratin~ leng~h~ o~ ho~ roll~d ~ro~u~ whlah ~re~3t1y r~lUCeB the ~11d1n0 t~ m~ o~ ~h~ 1~ngth~ of 2û ~?roduct without t}~3 u~e o~ ~inoA rs~11s ~ the like wh~ ch ooul~ d~m~g~ the 1en0~h~ o~ ro11~3d ~ro~uot .
Th~ inv~ntion ln ~dlt:Lon en~b1ss th0 ro11ing rate in ~erms o~ ~orm~ produ~ed per hour to be much higher ~han tha~ whlah h~s been ~c~bla when u~lng convent10ne~l1 dece1er~tc~r ~pparatus.
'~

:;

~33306 Orle way of aarrylr~ out tha lt ventlon 1~
d~crlbed ln det~il bel3w wllth re~rerlc:e to drelwin$~ whiah illu~tr~t~, ~ way o~ ~ax~mpl~, on~
speolfia emb~dimerlt, lh whloh:-Figure 1 1~ a dlagrRmmatic: ~?lan vlew ca~
~ppar~tu3 embodyir~ th~ lnvention, Flç~ure 2 1~ di~ramm~tlo s~le vl~w oP a part o~
thQ spparatu~ OI E~ gure 1, Flgure 3 i8 a ~smi-dl~5~r~mme~t~c slde view o deael3ra~0x ~pp~ratu~ orm:l~g part o~ the ~pparatus o~ Fiyur~ 2, F~gur~ 4 18 a ~l~n vlew th~r~of, Fl~ur~ 5 i8 a vi~aw of pelrt o~ ths appar~tus o~
Fiçlure 3 e~nd illu~r~ng m~otaer3~sm omi~te~ frGm ~ ure 3 ~or th~ ~ake o~ c:larlty, ~n~
F~ur~ C t ~ a ~eml~ gr~n~natlo vlew of w~lkin~
ba~m aooling ~ a~>p~ratu~ oc~ eCI wl~h 'che deo~ler~tor a~p~r~tus.
Refsrrln~ now to Figure 1 o~ the ~r~wla~gs, the d~ aler~tor f~pparatll~ therQ illusta~ 18 located on the output Qis91e~ 0~ el iEinl~ in~J st~nd S o~
rollln~ ~nlll };~rodu~ing hot roll~ pro~uo~ o~
rela~lvaly sm~ ro~ otional ~ na ~ppar~tu~ ludas swltoh~ s~ an~, ~e~g3r~lly ~: 25 lnd~aat~d 10, ~or ~wltc:hin~ ~UCC:~88iV0 lengths o~
produot ~ htb ~lt~rtlat~ t~ack~ 12 ar~d 14 ~or 1~3:~()6 :

guldlng t~e product ~ ~t leaves 8~ ni~h~ng ~asld, the ~wl~ohirl~ m~aan~ ~elng ~Y~ool~dl wl~h sh~arlng m~Qn~, ~en-3rally ~ndict~adl 11, or ahe~rln~ th~ len~tha ~ ~roduc:t rom ~he rc~lle~
prod~o~ s~lll belnç7 ~ct~d on by ~3lG~ t~n~5. The ~witc:hlng ~n~l sh~ring ~elsn~ may be o con~ntional oon~tructiorl.
In F~ure 2 there ~8 illus~r~t~ad, in only 11t3 baxe ~entl~l~, app~xatus ~sso¢lE!I~ed wl~h each ona of ~h~ ~ltarnat:a tr~ k~ 12 ~nd 1~, aaa~ pp~ratu~
ina~ uding me~a~ for ~otln~ on ~rlo ~ot xolled produo~ ~n~ ~e~C~rmlnç~ ~ t lh th~ snse o~ bsndlng lt. Consequently, 8e.1d. me~n~ u:~ on the ho~ rolle~
pxoduc~t in ~ eokion pi3rpendlcul~r t~ 8 ori~n~l length, ~ ms~ns balng ~:ons~i~u~ed 8e~es of roller~ 16 and ~8 or~ o~E30~1~e si~la~ o~ th~
produc:t. Sold roller~ are ~p~c~d a~ rt ltl alternata fa~hion lonçJltudln~lly c>~ the ~ireat~ on ln whlc~
th~ product lE3~ua~ ~rom the ~ hlnsl stand, a~
shown . In other word~ t th~ rollers on one ~ide o~
th~ roll~d produGt ~r~ ~t~ggsred r~ tlvQ to the rollers on th~ othar ~ld~. Al~o ~18800iat~a~ Wit~l ~aah on~ o~ the ~ltsr~ate tr~olc~ are rc~llers 48, nd~pted to be driv~an ~ ~ speed ao~re~ondin~ to the v~lo~lty Elt whlch ~n~ rolled pro~uat i~ ~o i88UQ ~rom the flni~hla~ ~tanfl o th~3 mill.

~33~)6 Rel~ecti.ve~ 8~1;8 o~ ti~g ap~ons 50 ~r~ provld~d b~3~ween adJ ac~h~ palr~ oP rs~ r~ 48 along ~h~
~lt~sn~t~ tr~cSc~.
~he ~rr~ngement 1R 8UC~ that th~ ~ts of roller~
16 3nd 18 oah be acte~ u~?on to mov~ ~ch~m from ltha poaltio~s ln w~lah t~ay ~r~ ~hown ln ohain-~otted lins~ in Flçlur~ 2! ln whi~tzh th~ay l~e on oppo~lte ~lde~ of ~he rdll~d produot pa~lng, as ~hown ~h~Lin-dott~d, ln str~ t ll~e ~h$o~ Irc:m the flni~hinç~ ~t~s~d, to ~ha po~ n~ whlch thoy ar~
shown in ~ull lin~s ~ tht~ the lenç~h o~ roll~d produa~ b~tween them 18 brougnt to a slnuous form a~ shown in full line~.
Re~err1 ng }~ow to ~l~ure~ ~ ~nd 4 whioh 8tlll :~ 15 illu~ra~e tl5E3 ~ ventlon ln only l~ b~rla n~ , apparatus ~or oo~trolling ~he a~ts o~
rollers 16 ~nd 18 inaluds r~3spet:~iv~ 8~t8 o bell ~rank lev~r~ 20 ~n~ 22 1~ n)ce~ to~ch~r ~or 8'1 multan~ous movsm~t t bs~ 6~t3 o llnks 24 ~nd 26 .
~n andmost palr bf the lever~ 20 sn~ 22 are llnked by mean3 o~ re3p~c~ivç~ ac)nneo~$n~ rod~ 28 and 3û ~o r98pe~atiV~ c:ranksha~ 32 ~n~ 34 which ~re g~red together, a8 ~hown, ~or c:on~x~-rotation. A c:lutc1 an~ brake system ~ not shown ) ~8 u~0d to power th~a ::rank ~ha~ ~ n tlm~d re~at~on to the ~witching mean~ 10 an~ ~he~rln~ mean~ ll.

330~;
' Re~arring nt)w ts~ Flslur~ S, thl~ vlew lllu8trate8 meohani~m whlch ~or the ~k~ of olarity h~a l~een omitted ~rom ~i!aurels 3 and 4, thl~ m~c:h~nlsr~ ~aln~
5~ulding mu~n~ for ~ui~in~ the lsng~h~ a~ rolled produat ~long tha ~ ernat~ tra~:k~ 12 an~ 14.
S~ld ~uldin~ means ~r~ oon~ti~u~ 1 by l~n~h~ o~
~ube 36 ~r~ulated to~et~r to allow ~he r~qulred d~form~tlon o~ the produat i~ a dir~Gtlon perp~ndloular to i~ dlr~ctlOn ~ movement from khe mlll a~ the ~et~ of roll~rs a~ç~ dl~pl~c:ad. In ~act, a~ shown, 3 leadlng ~h~ of sac:h lenSJth o~
~ub~ 1~ conxt~cted by rlle~n~ o~ ~ pivot brack~t 38 to the Rpind,lel 4~ oP th~ $d~oent roll~r 16 or 18, ~nd tr~llin~ ~nd o~ a~olll len~ o~ tu~e na~ #lldlng ~, conne~ion wlth the spindl~ 40 o~ ~he next ~uoo~lve roller by me~ns o~ a ~lott~ Gket 42.
Tha leadlng end3 of the l~nçJth~ of tube are sllghtly fl~red" a8 ~howr~, to ensure the~ ~mooth ~low o~ rollad ~?roduot ~ htO an~ throush the t;ul~e8 .
In ~he po~ltion ln whioh tr~s mschani~m ~8 ~hown in ~ull lin~3s ln Fl~urQ 3, ana with th~ rsnksha~t~
a~ an~le~ 'a', tha ~t~ of roller~ 16 ~nd 18 ~xe shown to b~ Juat maklng con~acst wlt~ t~e h~t r~ d }~rodua~ ~131ging bt3tween tY~3m. Ih the~ ~slt~on ln w~ic~ the mech~n~ sm i~ showh ~n ahaln~ ed llne~
ln ~lgure 3, the ~et~ o~ xoll~r~ ~re s~owh to ~ve ~3306 g moved aoros~ the origll~Sal path of movement of th~
p~oduot to hav~ c)rme~ lt ( ln tha san~e o~
h~ving forme~ a serles o~ bond~ it ) in 5 dir~ tion perlpendioul~lr to lts ori~ln~ n~th ~m~
to hav~ brought lt tQ a ~inuou~ sh~p~. It wl~l b~
seen ~rom th~3 pGsltlon~ o:E th~ cr~nk~h~t~ 32 ~n~
34 , a~ angles ' b ', th~t ~he roll~rs are 8~ill movlng aoro~s at t~l~ ln~tant, but the arrang~ment i~ ~uoh t~la~ elt arank an~le~3 ' IS ' th~ ~hearl~g me~n~
are oper~ted to ~h~ar o. leadlng length o~ produot from a ~ollowlng len~th o~ pro~luat 8till b~ing e~ote/i on by the ~ne~l rollinS7 mlll st~nd and, simultaneously, ~ swltchlr~g m0An~ are oper~t~ ~o ~wlteh tha ollowing length o:E rolled prod,u¢t ~ nto th~ aleer~te t~aolc ~or ~h~ ~ub~gu~an~
~: deaaler~ion and shearin~ o~ a further 1~3ngth o~
produ~t .
It will ba ~een tha~ th~ a~lQra of the set~ o~
rolle~rs 16 ~nd 18 on ~ len~th bf hot rolle~ pro~uct pasEJing between them 18 l;o d~o01er~ts th~3 leadlng lsngth o~ t;he produc:t relative lto a following 1~3n~th o~ produc~ not bein~7 acte~ oal by ~ald ~oll~rs. In other words, bs~au~e th~ forming of ths s~rlE3s o~ bsrtds t~ke~ up ~ ~ertaih amount of len~tl~ o~ ~he rol ~ ed produot, and ~na proCluot ~ 1Uel8 rom ~ho n~ t o ~ixed pe~ hough _, , . _ . . ._ _ , . . ~_ . .
i ~33C~ , still travelling forwardly, the leading length of said product is, in effect, smoothly decelerated relative to the lenqth of rolled product still being fed through the finishing stand of the mill.
The resu]t is that the leading length of product is decelerated to a significant extent before it has been sheared from the rolled product still passing through the mill, and in a manner not dependent on a frictional retardation of the product or on the frictional gripping of the product between pinch rolls. It will be understood that at the instant of shearing of the leading length of product -Erom the following length of product being acted on by the final rolling mill stand, the leading end of said leading length will be travelling at the decelerated rate but that the trailing end of said leading length will be travelling at the un-decelerated rate of travel of the following length of product.
The result of this is that following the shearing of said leading length of product from said following length, some of the kinetic energy of its tra;ling end portion will be immediately transferred to its leading end portion so that the entire cropped length of product will proceed forwardly at a mean decelerated rate. The final deceleration of the lengths of product after they have been sheared to length will of course be by way of frictional retardation or by the gripping of the product between pinch rolls, but this will be a relatively small part of the total decelera-tion required. For example, it is thought that if the speed of the rolled product issuing from the finishing stand of the mill is in the region of, say, 25 metres/sec, the lengths of product can be decelerated to about 7.5 metres/sec or less in apparatus embodying the invention before being sheared. The final decelera-tion of the sheared lengths of product by conventional apparatus will then not be a problem. The arrangement is of course such that as the initial deceleration means are brought into operation, and ~83306 the swl~c~h me~n~ ~nCI she~rlng ms~n~ th~n op~rate~
multaneou~ly~ the li~tin5~ a~rons 50 o~ ~h2 tra~:k ~lon~ whlch tha ,~ust ~haared l~nSI~h of p~oducl; 1~
passlng ar~ e~ to c:~uYe~ ~he ~nal deoeler~ion of th6~ she~r~ thD
As shown in Fl~ure 2, a palr of pinch roll~ 44, 46 ar~ ~rovlde~ on th~ output ~lde o the meuns ~or lnltlally d~oelera~ing th~ len~th~ o produ¢t, a driv~n one, 44 C~I said ~lnsh roll8 b~ln~ ~riv~n at ~he ~nitially dec~lsratsd sps~d an~ be~ ng r~tracstable, a~ ~hown lln chain-do~k~d line~, rom contact wlth th~ prbduct ~lurin~ tY~a re~3 pas~ge of ~ld prbduat through the~ ~pparatus . Th2 plnch roll~ can be used ~or ~ralyl~l~enlnsJ th~ tr~llin~
ends of th~ 1~3ngth~ proauc:t a~a thoy ~merg~ from t}l~ ~ppar~tu~ a~d wlll ~l~o ~:13~1~ th~ le~gth~ o~
produc~ ~ro~n th2 eppar~tu~ i ~ sll~ing ~1i3t6YlCel for ~inul deoeleration ~ 8 11381E~ thEm tha over~ll l~n~h of ~he app~r~tus ~or ~f:Eecting th~ lnitial deceler~tic:n. As pr0v~0u~1y m0ntloned, the rlln ofI
ta~l~ roll~r~ 48 a~e ~dapt~3d to ba ~rlven a~ el ~p~d matc:hing tha v~looity o~ th~ rolle~ p:roduct as it loave the ~inlshl~ t~n~ o~ th~3 rolling mill. T~e r~spec~iv~ 8 0~ tlng apron~ 50 whlc:h ~re lo~a~ad ~ n~ ~he ~lt~rna~e ~ra~k~ 12 ~nd 14 along whic~h succes~lv~ len~ths o~ ~ro~uot ~merge ~2~33306 ~rvm th~ lnl~l âeae~Leratlon ap~ar~tu~ ~ra ~rr~n~e~ to be lii~e~ ~ mean~ not shown, to brln~
~he len~ths o~ ~ro~uc:t ~o a ~lellt ollowln~7 ~ha~r inl~l~l d~lera~$on ~nd she~rln~ fro~n the rolled produot ~111 pa~ln~ ~hrc~u~h the ~lnl~hing st~nd of the ml:Ll.
P~ePerrln~ now t~ ur~ 6, t2~e w~ cin~a ~e~m aoolin~ be~ ~pp~r~tu3 whi~h i~ ~hown ~so~la~d wlth ~he d~celera~ion appar~tu~ Just d~orlb~d h~s ~et~ of w~l~clr~g ~3am~ 52, 54 wltYI a doubl~ pl~oh walk ~ lllust~a~ed dl~çlr~mma~ls:Ally. ~h0 arranSJemf~nt ir3 ~uah th~t l eh~k~ o~ pro~uot a~n b~3 d~po~ito~ ~y the ll~tltlg ~pron~ of th~ ~dJ ~c~nt ~r~ak 12 in~ 8~ s~t o not~h~3la 56 o~ ~h~
w~llking ba~m~ and by tha îl~tlfl~ spron~ of the r~mot~ ~r~ok 1~ lnto a s~c:ond s~at o~ notche~ 58, the len5~th~ o produc:t beln~ kept s~pars~e du~lng sub~qu~nt w~lking of sald walklnç~ beam~. As shown, c~rry-~v~r pl~e~ 60 are provlded ~o an~bll3 the l~ng~h~ o~ ~ro~uot bein~ te~ by ~h~ llftlng prOn8 Gf the trAok 14 tO be~ d~po~t~d i~to th~
~econd ~et ~ nc)tcnes o~ ~e w~lkin~ beam~ ~ s~ld carry-over pl~te~ belng pi~otally mt~un~ed ~o enable them to be d~ splaced, a~8 ~hown ln chaln-do~ed llnes, to permlt t~ v~ratlon o~ the w~ltcln~
b~ams .

L2~33 [3~i Thu~ th~ra 1~ provldedl d~3Geleratlon ~p~srstu~
whereby hot r~lled produot ~n ba deoell~r~ted ln a m~lnner whl~h sv~r~ama~ e t~l~ dv~n~
~8socl~tedl with ~revlo~lsly known ~celer~tor a~p~lr~tus. 8a~a~11y thls 1~ b~oAu~e 2-11 pr~vlou~ly known ~ac21ll3r~tor a~pa:r~tu~ h~s rell~d on slowlng ~own the l~n~lth~ o:E produo~ ~Eter the~y have been ~he~red fr~n ~h~ pro~uct ~tlll emer~lng from ~e ~ hinçl stelrld o~ t~e mill. In apl?ar~u~
embody~ng the inven~lon, tna ~ecel~ratloh 18 aahlev~ lmmedletely prlor 1~0 ~he~rln~ and ~herefors~ doe~ not raly on means ~or ~rictlonally Sjlripping ~e ~ra~llnçl ends of tY~ lerlgth0 s~f produ~t or lm~olve an exos~siv~ sl~.dln~ t~nce o~
:~ 15 the ~heared len~th~ o~ produot b~3~ore th~y 8r3 ~inally brough~ to re,st. The ~p~aratu~, in e~e~, m~lc~as u~e o~ the rolled produbt ~tlll pas~ing ~hrough the ~l~al rollin~ mlll ~tahd ~ aracshor.
~he 5~reat3r part of tha m~ of tha length of roll~ad produo~ E~bou~ to ~e ~he~red to length 18, in e~ot, dr~wn re~rwar~ly rela~lve ~o the ~ollowln~
leng~;h o~ produot irnmedl~31y prlor to ~heelr~ g.
The rs~ult i~ tPla~ b~ ~he u~ appar~tus embo~yln~7 the inv0nt~0n lt will b~ po~lble to ~ 25 ~llow hot rolled produc:t of rel~t~vely ~mall~ c~o~
seational ~rea to 188U~ ~rom t~3 f lnls~ ta~d o~

833~j a rolling mill nt ~ Ve~10Gi~Y ~ar in ~x~ei3~ o~ ~ha~
wh~ch ha~ been po~sible hltharto.
It will o~ cours~ bs url~er~too~ that the rdte of lniti~1 de~elara$ion ~n be ~oour~t01y controlled, ~nd oan be arra~!aad ~b b~ ubsten~l~lly Gonstan~, by ~dJu~tlnçl ~he Clrive geometry ~h~l adJustln~ it~
speed o~ ~peratlon ~o a~ to ~J u~t th~ ~ate whlch th~ roller~ ~orm the ban~lz 1~ th~ len~tn~ o~
produot. ~he pre~uro of ~h~a rollers 2çlaimat the rolled produ~t i~ muoh le89 ~han th~t o~ plnc:h roll~ and wlll not de~orm th~ cro~s ~acltlon~l shspeL
o~ ~h~ produat. Sp~c:ially ~hapad groove~ ln t~e roller~, ~hat i8 to ~y mata~n~ ~hc CX08 ~atlon~l sh~pe~ of the pro~u~t, wlll not b~
reguired.
Varlou~ inodl~ a~ion~ m~y bs m~e. For example, the meohanism ~or displAclng the roll~r~ ~or ~ormlng the b~nd~ ln ~he rolle~ pro~uct may `; v~ried in r~umerou~ way~. One ~l~rent way o~
e~lsplaclng th~ rollers ~o~ formlng the bemds ln tha rolla~ product would be to mollh~ opposlt~ly ~; ~ d~ 8~08ed bu~ stagger~ p~lr~ o~ ~ald roller~ on rot~ta~l~ e~rriars, th~ rota~abl~ oarrlers belng spaoe~ ap~rt longtldulnally o~ t~e ~ reotion of travel o~ th~ rolled p~oduct as lt ~ 3~ue~ ~rom th~
~lnal rsllin~ nhlll ~tan~, ~ai~ o~rrl~r~ b~lnç~

333~

.

asranged to be rot~t~ lmult~n~ou~ly, khrough pre-de~ar~ins~ ~n~le~ ~o move the ~lr~ ~oll~;cs to po~ltionE~ in whi::~h they brlnSl ~ le~dln~ len~th o f the rol l ~ pro~ 'co a 2~nuc~us ~orm . ~he mech~niE~m s~eed n~ neoE3ss~r~ ly ~e ~Ixiv~3n by mec~hanical means, th~S is to ~ay ~or ex~mpl~ by ~he contra-ro~ln~ arsnksh~ts 32 ~nd ~4 of t~he lllustrat~d ernbodlment. X~ could for exampll3 b6 powered b~ at leaet c~ne hy~lrelulla r~m E~rran~ed to dls~lace the connectlng rod8 ~or movlng th~3 bell ore~nk laver~ o~ the lllustrate~ embo~lmerlt or fs~r di3plaoing ~ tooth~d rac~lc or a s~rles s:~ toothl3d rac1c~ lang~in~ toothed segmentEI a~ooi~te~l wlth the rotatable caarrlers of t~e pO8~ modiSlc:~tlon J u~t d~crlb~d, as th~ c:a3~ may be . Th~ ~umber o~
ben8s being form~d ~o ~sot the ln~ tl~l decel~ratlon ~ th~ pro~uct may al80 be v~riad, ~2pending upon the lengths of lth8 ~2~eared product ~ henoe ~helr weight~ Furthe~ora, inE~e~ o~
arr~nçling or bo~h ~atE~ o roll~r3 to b~ movuble, lt m~ be preferrea to hol~ on~ ~et o~ ~0118r3 - #tationary ~nd to ~r~ ve tha othar set o~ r311ers through twl~e the ~i~t~noe.
.`;
.

Claims (11)

1. A method of decelerating lengths of hot rolled product issuing from a final rolling mill stand and passing along a track, the method being characterised by the step of bending a leading length of said product by deforming means acting on it in a direction perpendicular to its length to decelerate the leading length of the product relative to a following length of product being acted on by said rolling mill stand; shearing said leading length from said following length whilst said deforming means are still in motion; and switching the following length of rolled product into an alternative track for the subsequent deceleration of a further length of product by the same method.

2. A method of initially decelerating lengths of rolled product as claimed in claim 1, further characterised in that it includes the step of guiding the lengths of rolled product along alternate tracks through lengths of tube articulated together to allow the required deformation of the product in a direction perpendicular to its length.

3. Apparatus for decelerating lengths of hot rolled product issuing from a final rolling mill stand and passing along a track, characterised in that it includes means for deforming in the sense of bending a leading length of said product in a direction perpendicular to its length to decelerate the leading length of the product relative to a following length of product being acted on by said rolling mill stand, shearing means for shearing said leading length of product from said following length whilst the means for deforming said leading length of product are still in motion, and switching means for switching the following length of rolled product into an alternate track for the subsequent deceleration and shearing of a further of product.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, further characterised in that the means for deforming a leading length of the rolled product in a direction perpendicular to its length includes two sets of rollers on opposite sides of said leading length of product, the rollers on one side being staggered relative to the rollers on the other side, means being provided for acting on said rollers to move them from positions in which they lie on opposite sides of the rolled product passing in straight line fashion from the final rolling mill stand to positions in which they bring a leading length of said product to a sinuous form.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, further characterised in that the means provided for acting on the rollers to move them to positions in which they bring a leading length of the rolled product to a sinuous form are constituted by respective sets of bell crank levers linked together for simultaneous movement by respective connecting rods.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, further characterised in that the means provided for acting on the rollers to move them -to positions in which they bring a leading length of the rolled product to a sinuous form are constituted by a plurality of rotatable carriers each of which carry an oppositely disposed but staggered pair of said rollers, said carriers being spaced apart longitudinally of the direction of travel of the rolled product as it issues from the final rolling mill stand and being arranged to be rotated, simultaneously, through pre-determined angles.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3, further characterised in that it includes guiding means for guiding the lengths of rolled product along the alternate tracks, said guiding means being constituted by lengths of tube articulated together to allow the required deformation of the product in a direction perpendicular to its length.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, further characterised in that a leading end of each length of tube is connected by means of a pivot bracket to the spindle of a preceding roller being one of the two sets of rollers on opposite sides of the product which can act on said product and deform it as it issues from the rolling mill, a trailing end of each length of tube having sliding connection with the spindle of the next successive roller by means of a slotted bracket.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, further characterised in that it includes a pair of pinch rolls on the output side of t he means for deforming a leading length of the hot rolled product in a direction perpendicular to its length, a driven one of said pinch rolls being driven at the decelerated speed and being retractable from contact with the product during the free passage of said product through the apparatus whereby the pinch rolls can be used for straightening the -trailing ends of the lengths of product as they emerge from the apparatus and will also clear -the lengths of product from the apparatus if the sliding distance for final deceleration is less than the overall length of the apparatus.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, further characterised in that it includes a plurality of continuously driven run off table rollers adapted to be driven at mill speed at the output side of the deceleration apparatus, respective sets of lifting aprons being located along the alternate tracks along which successive lengths of product emerge from the deceleration apparatus, said lifting aprons being arranged to be lifted to bring the lengths of product to a halt following their deceleration in said apparatus and shearing from the rolled product still passing through the finishing stand of the mill.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further characterised in that a walking beam cooling bed is arranged alongside the run off table, the walking beams having a double pitch walk so that lengths of product can be deposited by the lifting aprons of the adjacent one of the alternate tracks into a first set of notches of the walking means and by the lifting aprons of the remote one of the alternate tracks into a second set of the notches, the lengths of product being kept separate during subsequent walking of said walking beams, carry-over plates being provided to enable the lengths of product being lifted by the lifting aprons of the remote one of the alternate tracks to be deposited into the second set of notches of the walking beams, said carry-over plates being pivotally mounted to enable them to be displaced to permit the operation of the walking beams.