The present invention relates to a method of subdividing and decelerating a hot rolled long product.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rolling mills delivering hot rolled long products to cooling beds, and is concerned in particular with a method of subdividing and decelerating such products prior to their arrival at the cooling bed. As herein employed, the term "long products" refers to bars and rods, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed for example in U.S. Patent No. 4,413,494, it is known to use driven pinch rolls to grip and decelerate hot rolled long products. When used alone, however, the heavy pressure exerted by the pinch rolls can deform or otherwise mar the product surfaces. This is of particular concern with products that have ribbed surfaces, e.g., concrete reinforcing bars.
The use of staggered rolls to effect deceleration by deflecting long products into elongated sinuous paths is also known, as shown for example in U.S. Patent No. 4,884,429. However, when used alone, such staggered roll arrangements are incapable of adequately decelerating products at the higher delivery speeds of modem rolling mills. Moreover, the use of staggered roll arrangements to decelerate product leading ends is likely to produce cobbles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention stems from the discovery that although the use of either pinch rolls or staggered rolls, by themselves, can lead to problems, their application in concert to the products can provide highly effective deceleration without deforming the products or marring their surfaces.
A more detailed description of the invention and its attendant advantages will now be
provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a rolling mill installation incorporating a system in
accordance with the present invention; and
Figures 2A-2C are schematic illustrations respectively depicting the decelerator in
different operational stages.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference initially to Figure 1, an exemplary mill layout is shown comprising a
cooling bed 10 arranged to receive long products being delivered along path Pa from the last roll
stand 11. A shear 12 serves to subdivide the products, and a switch 13 directs the severed
product segments alternatively to paths Pd-i and Pd.2 leading to the cooling bed's run on table 10'.
From here, the products are shifted laterally across the cooling bed to receiving equipment (not
shown) for further processing, e.g., cutting to customer lengths, bundling, etc.
Decelerators 14 in accordance with the present invention are positioned along paths P