Patent Application
20130062447
1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to coolant jackets, often referred to as water jackets, for thermally isolating rolling mill equipment from hot rolled, elongated materials. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to water jackets for thermally isolating bearings of rotating quills in laying heads.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rolling mills shape hot elongated material that transfers heat to the operating environment. It is desirable to isolate certain roiling mill equipment, for example bearings in rotating machinery, from such heat transfer. In one type of rolling mill application laying heads coil elongated material finished product. The laying heads are fed the elongated material by upstream pinch rolls that are in close proximity to the head's proximal or receiving end. The proximal, end of the laying head often employs a gear driven, necked quill through which the hot elongated material travels within a quill passage. The quill rotates on lubricated bearings that circumscribe the neck portion, with the hot elongated material passing through the neck in close proximity to the bearings. It is desirable to reduce heat transfer to the quill rotational bearings by isolating them from the hot material heat source.
Quill bearings are often thermally isolated with an annular water or other coolant jacket that is interposed within the neck portion between the bearings and hot material. Circulating cooling liquid, such as water, flows through a labrynth annular path within the water jacket, and absorbs heat transferred from the hot material. Thus less heat is transferred to the quill bearings than would occur without the water jacket.
Known water jackets have been constructed with nested, concentric inner and outer tubes, with hot material passing through the inner diameter of the inner tube and cooling water captured between the inner tube outer circumference and the inner diameter of the outer tube. Baffles may be interposed within the annular space between the inner and outer tubes for coolant flow control, often so that the coolest water entering the jacket flows along the inner diameter of the outer tube and then is routed to contact the hotter inner tube. In this way the jacket exterior is maintained at a relatively lower temperature. The nested tubes and baffles are often referred to as a labrynth, due to the coolant flow path.
The axial ends of the water jacket labrynth annular tube structure is capped, with the proximal end of the water jacket that is upstream the elongated material flow path having a flange for attachment to the quill bearing hub. The flange is permanently attached to the labrynth tubular jacket portion.
The flange is relatively larger and has more complex fabrication than the labrynth tubular portion, and often includes passages for fluid communication with coolant inlet and outlet conduits, such as metal braided, hose. The jacket inner passage within the labrynth tubing and/or the flange may also include pneumatic passages for de-scaling the hot elongated material with compressed air as it passes through the quill
Due to the hot environment within the quill neck, often containing abrasive particulant contaminants such as metal scale, the Iabrynth tube portion inner diameter is subjected to wear, and must be periodically replaced. Replacement requires retracting the elongated water jacket from the quill hub bore in a direction generally parallel to the elongated material flow path. However, the elongated material feeding pinch roll assembly discharge outlet is often in axially close proximity to the quill hub and water jacket flange, so that it blocks the flange's clearance needed to retract it from the quill hub. The flange is too wide to enter the pinch roll assembly discharge outlet so there is insufficient radial clearance to accept the flange within the pinch roll feed path. Conversely, the Iabrynth tubing outer diameter is sufficiently small to pass within the pinch roll discharge outlet, but this cannot be done due to permanent attachment of the water jacket flange. Therefore, the pinch roller assembly must be separated from the laying head machinery in order to provide necessary retraction clearance for the one-piece, unitary water jacket. Separation of the pinch roller assembly is time consuming and involves movement of heavy components with multiple repair technicians. Along with the effort and expense of water jacket replacement the rolling mill also suffers economic loss of stopped production. It is desirable to minimize rolling mill downtime and costs associated with water jacket replacement.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention include a coolant jacket with selectively separable modular coolant cartridge and outer flange portions. The coolant jacket outer flange is separated from the cartridge portion during installation or removal of a coolant jacket from a quill hub, and shifted laterally out of the gap between the laying head quill hub and the pinch roller assembly discharge outlet. This allows the relatively smaller diameter cartridge portion to be inserted or retracted into the quill hub via the pinch roller assembly discharge outlet path, where there is sufficient radial clearance to accept passage of the cartridge labyrinth portion. After the new cartridge portion is inserted into the quill hub, the outer flange portion is attached to the outwardly facing proximal portion of cartridge portion. Thereafter coolant and pneumatic conduits may be attached to the flange portion to complete the repair.
The modular coolant water jacket of the present invention facilitates reuse of the relatively more expensive and permanent outer flange portion, limiting repair expense to the cost of the cartridge labyrinth tubular portion. The modular water jacket of the present invention also eliminates the repair costs and down time associated with removal and replacement of the pinch roller assembly. Thus by using the modular coolant water jacket of the present invention it is possible to complete repairs with fewer repair technicians in less time (hence less production down time) than by use of known one-piece unitized water jackets,
While embodiments herein describe application of the present invention modular coolant water jacket to laying heads, it may be applied to other types of rolling mill water jackets. For example, no matter the type of water jacket application the present invention provides for cost savings by re-using the outer flange portion and limiting replacement to the labrynth or other coolant tubing construction cartridge portion. Modular construction also enhances the possibility of harmonization of coolant cartridge portions and outer flange portions for various coolant jacket applications within a rolling mill, thereby reducing types of spare parts that must be manufactured or retained within repair inventory. The modular coolant water jacket of the present invention can be retrofitted within existing roiling mills and laying heads.
These and other embodiments can be achieved in accordance with the present invention by a rolling mill replaceable coolant jacket cartridge with nested outer and inner sleeves having respective proximal and distal axial ends and defining a coolant passage there between. An end cap is coupled to and seals the respective distal ends of the outer and inner sleeves. The end cap has a passage there through in communication with an interior of the inner sleeve. A cartridge flange is coupled to and seals the respective proximal ends of the outer and inner sleeves. The cartridge flange has a passage there through in communication with the inner sleeve interior. The cartridge flange also has an outer circumference adapted for axially oriented mating engagement with a rolling mill apparatus, and defines a respective coolant inlet and outlet isolated from each other and in communication with the coolant passage. The inlet and outlet are adapted for communication with respective corresponding rolling mill coolant inlet and. outlet sources upon engagement of the cartridge flange and rolling mill apparatus. The cartridge flange also has fastening elements defined therein, adapted for cooperative coupling engagement with the roiling mill apparatus.
Another exemplary embodiment includes a rolling mill laying head incorporating a replaceable coolant jacket cartridge of the present invention. The rolling mill laying head includes a quill rotatively mounted, within a quill hub, having a quill passage therein for passage of rolled, elongated material there through. An annular coolant jacket is within the quill, interposed between the quill passage and the quill hub. The jacket has an outer flange having a neck portion for mating engagement with the quill hub and an outer flange central passage in communication with the quill passage, for passage of elongated material there through. The laying head has a replaceable coolant jacket cartridge having an interior passage therein that is in communication with the outer flange central passage and the quill passage, for passage of elongated material there through. The cartridge defines a coolant passage surrounding at least a portion of the interior passage. Respective engagement surfaces are defined by the outer flange and the cartridge for selective coupling there between. The outer flange and cartridge are further selectively coupled by fastening elements.
The present invention also features a method for replacing a rolling mill coolant jacket by providing a coolant jacket having an outer flange having a neck portion that is adapted for mating engagement with a rolling mill apparatus and an outer flange central passage for passage of elongated material there through. A replaceable coolant jacket cartridge is also provided; the cartridge having an interior passage therein that is adapted for passage of elongated material there through that is in communication with the outer flange central passage. The cartridge defines a coolant passage surrounding at least a portion of the interior passage adapted for communication with a rolling mill coolant source. The provided flange and cartridge also define respective engagement surfaces for selective coupling there between. The next step for performing the method of the present invention is axially inserting the coolant jacket into a rolling mill apparatus and aligning the interior passage thereof with the rolling mill apparatus transport path for elongated material. The next step in performing the process of the present invention is aligning and engaging the outer flange neck portion with a corresponding mating portion of the rolling mill apparatus; followed by coupling the outer flange and cartridge by their respective engagement surfaces. After mutual engagement the outer flange and cartridge are coupled with fastening elements.
The features of the present invention may be applied jointly or severally in any combination or sub-combination by those skilled in the art. Further features of embodiments of the present invention, and the advantages offered thereby, are explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are indicated by like reference designators.
The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.
After considering the following description, those skilled in the art will clearly realize that the teachings of the present invention can be readily utilized in rolling mill coolant jackets, including water jackets. The modular coolant jacket of the present invention has a coolant tube cartridge portion and a selectively separable outer flange portion. Separation of the larger diameter outer flange portion from the cartridge tubing portion facilitates axially oriented insertion and removal of the cartridge portion in radially confined spaces, such as those within an elongated material feed path between a pinch roller and laying head. Modular construction also facilitates reuse of the outer flange portion and replacement of only a worn tube cartridge portion.
A rolling mill in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Modular coolant or water jacket 40 is coupled within the bearing hub 35 and interposed between the hot elongated material M in the quill passage and the quill bearings 36, providing thermal isolation for the bearings.
Construction features of the modular coolant jacket 40 is shown in
Coolant jacket cartridge portion 60 has a central interior passage for receipt of and passage of elongated material M therethrough with proximal 61 and distal 62 ends. Cartridge flange 63 on the proximal end of the cartridge labyrinth portion mates with the corresponding female bore 54 formed within the outer flange 50 and retains threaded fasteners 56. The cartridge/labyrinth portion 60 has an outer tubular sleeve 64 and inner tubular sleeve 65 that form between them an annular cooling passage for coolant. While the sleeves 64, 65 shown herein are of symmetrical cylindrical construction with concentric orientation, other sleeve profiles and alignments may be utilized. Baffle 66 is concentrically oriented between the outer and inner tubular sleeves 64, 65 and extends axially a portion of the length of the cartridge labyrinth section 60, thereby directing coolant along a labyrinthine, undulating flow path indicated by the flow arrows F. Coolant enters the cartridge 60 by way of outer flange 50 water inlet 57 the water inlet 67 formed in labyrinth flange 63. Coolant then flows downstream (toward the cartridge distal end 62) along the outer tube sleeve 64 outer circumferential periphery around, the distal end of the baffle 66, and then reverses course upstream along the inner tube's 65 outer surface, toward the water outlet 68 formed within the cartridge flange 63. The water outlet 68 is in communication with the outer flange 50 water outlet 58.
The outer sleeve tube 64 and inner sleeve tube 65 are maintained in concentric orientation by the labyrinth flange 63 and end cap 69, but they may be oriented in non-concentric positions. Similarly, one or more baffles 66 may be oriented in different relative positions in order to establish different desired coolant flow paths. O-rings are retained on the outer circumference of cartridge flange 63 in order to provide for axial and radial coolant flow sealing between the labyrinth portion and the outer flange bore 54. As shown in
Modular construction of the coolant water jacket 40 facilitates rapid replacement of worn cartridge labyrinth section 60 from the outer flange section 50 by unscrewing fasteners 56 and axially separating their respective mating engagement surfaces. This allows re-use of the relatively unworn outer flange section 50.
The two-piece separable modular construction of the dimensionally wide diameter outer flange 50 and relatively smaller diameter cartridge labyrinth section 60 also facilities easier field, repair and replacement than previously known unitary construction coolant water jackets. Previously known water jackets could not be disassembled; thus disassembly and separation of the pinch roller assembly was required in order to provide sufficient clearance for separation of the water jacket from the laying head. As shown in
Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.
