Patent Application
20160221054
The present disclosure generally relates to assembling rolls for use in rolling mills and more specifically to split rings for helping assemble such rolls.
Rolling is a metal forming process in which stock sheets or strips are passed through at least one pair of rolls. Some rolling mills include backup rolls that provide rigid support to the work rolls and therefore allow the diameter of the work rolls to be reduced. Each roll includes one or more bearings to reduce friction as the roll rotates. The bearings can be housed in a bearing retainer or chock. In some cases, a jack or other drive mechanism is used to compress the bearing retainer onto the roll as the roll is assembled or serviced. To keep the jack in compression with the bearing retainer, a split ring is sometimes positioned between the jack and the end of the roll. The split ring acts as a back stop and maintains compression between the jack and the bearing retainer as the bearing retainer is assembled onto the roll.
However, it is typically difficult and very labor intensive to collapse the jack and remove the split ring from the assembly once the jack has been extended. In some instances, crowbars are manually wedged between the jack and the split ring to release the pressure between the jack and the split ring and force the jack to collapse and allow for removal of the split ring. In one particular example, two crowbars are wedged between the split ring and the jack and two workers manually apply force to the crowbars to collapse the jack. Due to the forces involved, along with slick flooring in a typical rolling mill, additional operators are needed to stabilize those operating the crowbars to reduce the risk of slipping and injury. Overall, the process is dangerous, time consuming, labor intensive, and inefficient.
The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this disclosure and the claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the present disclosure covered herein are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all drawings and each claim.
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an improved split ring that allows for easier and safer collapsing of a jack used to assemble a roll, such as a work roll or back up roll. Also disclosed are methods of using the improved split ring to collapse the jack during assembly of a roll.
Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the following drawing figures:
Certain aspects and features of the present disclosure relate to split rings used to help assemble and replace/service a roll, such as a work roll, back up roll or any other kind of roll. Specifically, the disclosed split rings can be used to help assemble a bearing retainer containing a plurality of bearings onto an end of the roll. Also disclosed are methods of using the disclosed split rings to assemble or replace or service a roll.
One embodiment of a split ring according to the present invention is illustrated in
First portion 12 of split ring 10 includes an end 18 that abuts an end 20 of second portion 14 when the split ring 10 is in a closed position (see
The embodiment illustrated in
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
When assembling or replacing/servicing a roll 26, a bearing retainer 30 containing a plurality of bearings is positioned on the shaft 25 of the roll 26, as shown in
However, once the mounting jack 32 is extended and assembled with the split ring 10, it is difficult to retract it back to its unextended state. To collapse the mounting jack 32, the split ring first needs to be released from the mounting jack 32. According to one aspect of the disclosed improved method, one or more split ring drive mechanisms 24 are inserted into apertures 22 of the split ring 10 to release the split ring 10 from the mounting jack 32. Specifically, activating split ring drive mechanisms 24 applies pressure to the mounting jack 32 and pushes the mounting jack 32 apart from the split ring 10.
In some embodiments, the split ring drive mechanisms 24 are activated by a pump that drives a hydraulic cylinder or other mechanism of the split ring drive mechanisms 24. The pump used to activate the split ring drive mechanisms 24 may be a motorized or manual hydraulic hand pump or any other suitable device to pressurize split ring drive mechanisms 24. As shown in
Once the pistons 37 of the split ring drive mechanisms 24 have pushed the split ring 10 away from the mounting jack 32, the split ring 10 can be removed from the assembly and the mounting jack 32 can be collapsed and removed from the assembly. The roll 26, with the mounted bearing retainer 30, is then ready to be installed in an appropriate rolling mill or other application. Using split ring 10 and split ring drive mechanisms 24 to collapse the mounting jack 32 is safer, more efficient, and less labor intensive.
The disclosed split rings can be dimensioned for use with any roll, including work rolls, back up rolls, or any other suitable roll. As discussed above, the number and positioning of apertures used with the split ring can be selected based on the diameter and other properties of the roll with which the split ring will be used. Even though the rolls 26 are described as for use in a rolling mill, the disclosed split rings and methods can be used to assemble and service any type of roll and are not limited to use with rolls designed for rolling mills.
Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.
